Borders book store files for chapter 11 bankruptcy.

[muntrv]

http://admin.annarbor.com/business-review/borders-bankruptcy-ann-arbor-books/

[bigwillq]

1. ...

:(

edit: I just heard that the one I go to in Milford, CT is closing. :(

[muntrv]

2. We have 3 of them in my hometown. The one nearest to my home is closing.

[bigwillq]

4. I love going to the bookstore.

I like buying books. I like having a book in my hand. The smell of it, the feel of it.
Yes, technology is a great thing, but it has put some many companies out of business. So many jobs lost. :(

[lapislzi]

3. I work in publishing

This is going to hurt us big time, even though we saw it coming and took steps to protect ourselves. Losing a major account like Borders is a heavy blow to a small business like ours. And so...it trickles down.

I hope I have a job this time next year.

[bigwillq]

5. I hope I do too.

Work in the newspaper business.

:hug:

[Statistical]

19. I would imagine the sales would simply flow to other outlets.

i.e. Borders sells 10 million less books. B&N sells 3 million more, Amazon sells 4 million more, independents sell 3 million more.

Still ebooks are going to significantly displace physicals books. There is little advantage to shelves and shelves of physical books. ereaders will only get better and cheaper.

[lapislzi]

23. Being a book person

I can't replace the feeling of a paper book in my hands. E-readers just don't do it for me.

My company's pretty forward-looking. We're converting all of our titles to e-format as we go.

[Statistical]

25. I don't think physical books will go away completely.

I just think they will be a smaller and smaller market.

[lapislzi]

36. I know. It makes me sad. n/t

[Tommy_Carcetti]

29. Plus bookshelves with books are a nice decoration piece.

Sort of like a trophy case of books you've read.

I know, it's sort of shallow, but physical books just look good.

[lapislzi]

37. Not shallow at all

I cycle my books periodically so they look "fresh" mixed in with the well-thumbed classics. I'm also a book socialist. If it's an OK book and I don't want to re-read it, I'll leave it on a bench with my e-mail address (so I can find out if the person who picked it up liked it).

[Raine]

6. I have a nice one near me

if they close I sure will miss it. :-(

[sharesunited]

7. This is a market niche opening up, if ever there was one.

Your tax supported library is not a place where you can drink a latte and read a book. (That will be closing anyway, thanx to the teabaggers.)

Your local Boarders cannot make its business model work where you walk in for free.

Answer: You pay a cover, order lattes against the cover, and read whatever you want until it is coffee stained and muffin crumbed beyond all recognition.

This may not work in communities of populations less than one million. But I'm confident it can work there, and perhaps with satellites into the sticks.

And with Wi-Fi and listening rooms for all.

[MrModerate]

9. Fine for magazines, not so great for books. n/t

[sharesunited]

10. 20 cents versus 80 cents cost of goods? Amazon has commoditized books, my friend.

[MrModerate]

15. Not exactly following you . . .

I was thinking that the coffeeshop model was OK for short articles and the like, but if you picked up a good lengthy history or novel that you couldn't read in one sitting, how would that work?

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

13. The Borders near me is basically a homeless shelter

I don't think the guys who hang around all day masturbating to cosmopolitan are a terribly lucrative clientele.

[MrModerate]

16. It's been awhile since I looked at Cosmo . . .

It's jerkworthy?

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

39. I guess it will have to do once you have been banned from 7/11.

[MrModerate]

8. As someone who has haunted bookstores his entire life . . .

And now no longer buy any paper books anymore, I can't imagine how they'll reorganize to survive. I'm not sure any bookstore or chain of any size is safe.

[MadHound]

12. Bookstores may not survive in chain form,

Well, except Amazon perhaps.

But little independents will continue to hang on for a long time. There are lots of us folks who like to collect old books, or simply don't want to do our reading on some machine. There will be a large enough market there to keep bookstores going for awhile.

[MrModerate]

14. Perhaps so. I'm not sure how long, though.

I'm also one of those who said for years "it'll be a long time before they come up with anything as efficient as paper for distributing text."

I don't say that anymore.

[Statistical]

20. I had the same opinion.... until I got a Kindle.

It is simply so "easy". Want a new book, blam get it. Someone recommends a book I usually buy it on the spot. I can see reviews from hundreds of people when deciding on a book. Pricing is usually cheaper (sometimes only $1 cheaper, sometimes half the price). All my books with me. The text quality is amazing (mass paperback paper and ink quality leaves a lot to be desired). Bookmarks that never get lost. It just works and is easy to use.

I read more now. I will keep buying books but they won't be physical. If an author doesn't have an ebook (rare but it happens) or they try to do something stupid like charge MORE for an ebook I simply wait. They need me more then I need them.

In 3-4 years eReaders will only be better (not worse) and only cheaper (not more expensive).

[Tommy_Carcetti]

22. I got an Ereader for Christmas and haven't used it yet.

Frankly, I don't get the appeal.

[Statistical]

24. You haven't used it yet? It might require trying to use it in order to see the appeal.

Cooked food, never tried it, don't see the appeal. :)

It may be that ereader doesn't appeal to you but you need to at least try it to find out.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

28. No, I've tried the free books that came with it. I just haven't downloaded anything on it.

Meh.

I really don't see what extra bonus I'm getting from it. Unlike a MP3, where you can condense all your CDs onto a single palm sized machine and thus don't have to fumble around with lots of CDs, with an Ereader, all you are trading is one book at a time for a machine. And how often do you read more than one book at a time?

If say, I'm going on an airplane, I can bring a book, or I can bring an Ereader, but it's going to deliver the same product. It's not like I plan on bringing 15 books on the plane where the benefit of all 15 on the Ereader would be understandable. I read one book at a time. So why bother switching?

[MrModerate]

43. How about a couple of reasons . . .

• How about bringing 600 books with you? That's how many I have on my Kindle, and while I tend to read one at a time, I often read 5 at a time, jumping from one to the other. That's lots easier now.

• Also, I often go on business trips, and where I previously had to pack six or seven books to cover the period I was away from home, now I just bring the ereader.

• How about millions of free books available from Project Gutenberg and the like -- as in just about every book in English more than 25 years old (and a substantial number more recent), which you couldn't possible afford if you had to buy them in paper form?

• How about finding out about a book and owning it 30 seconds later, no muss, no fuss?

• How about self-publishing, which now takes no more effort than uploading a file. The opportunity for authors to get their works to the public (and *sold* to the public) has taken a giant leap forward. And the reading public gets the benefit as well.

I can understand why you would be reluctant to abandon paper-based books. I was the same way my entire life. Now I'm absolutely sold, and doubt I'll every buy another paper book.

[WolverineDG]

35. Turn it on

I got a Nook for Christmas. Wasn't wanting one, didn't ask for one, but I got one. I wasn't too enthused about it until I realized all the books I could get for free & that I could load 'em all up on my little Nook & carry it around with me. Voila, no more worrying about getting stuck somewhere & not having anything to read. It's like having a library in my purse.

I still like books though & have continued to buy them.

dg

[MrModerate]

40. And that doesn't even begin to touch the millions of books (no exaggeration) . . .

In the public domain via Project Gutenberg and the like. Are you aware of Calibre, the library mangement/conversion program for ereaders? It's great, and free (although you're invited to donate to the programmer).

[Dappleganger]

11. The one in Jacksonville is closing as well.

[AsahinaKimi]

17. My best friend works for Borders bookstore

She has worked for them for 8 years. She is really scared..

[Xenotime]

33. It's looking pretty bleak out there.

[stuntcat]

18. ((Borders))

I worked for Borders a long time, at four different stores. It's changed a lot growing so much, but it was still a nice store with good employees and stuff. I hope it won't go out totally.

I mostly only get used books now so I'm not helping them much I guess.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

21. It's a shame, because I do admit I like going there on lunchbreaks.

The one store I actually like going to.

Is it because of Ebooks? I don't get the appeal. I got an Ereader for Christmas and haven't used it yet--no desire to. During that time I've read three traditional books.

[EnviroBat]

26. What will become of all of those Nook's that were given as Christmas gifts last year.

I though that Borders was the sole support for the Nook network...? Are these devices still going to be functional?

[Statistical]

27. Nook = Barnes & Noble. n/t

[EnviroBat]

30. Ahhh, that's right...

Still sad for Borders though...

[seaglass]

31. Borders has the Kobo ereader and according to an email from the CEO

their web presence will continue to exist. Actually I hope they devote efforts to improving it because you can read Borders ebooks on the Nook but their website makes it really difficult to get what you want.

[bdamomma]

32. I was sick when I heard this last night, now more unemployed

people, and a book store out of business, terrible.

[WinkyDink]

34. Sad, sad, sad. Yes, there are independent stores, but let's not kid ourselves. We are

losing much.

[BlueIris]

38. The most sucktacular news I have heard all week.

Well, except for Lara Logan and bobbolink, of course.

[Major Hogwash]

41. Fuck. Just fuck.

People don't like bookstores now?
Fuck.

We have become the Planet of the Apes.
We blew it up.
Gawd damn us, is right.

[Shagbark Hickory]

42. They're all closing in my area. I called it 4 years ago.

They're never anyone in there.
B&N on the other hand... PACKED.