My heart breaks to know that Border's is closing most of its stores. We lose 5 freestanding stores in the Tampa Bay area, and only 2 will remain. It may be a matter of time for both. I'm an Amazon maven, but I went into a Borders once a week. I liked their membership program a lot better than B & N's and I also preferred Seattle's Best over Starbucks.
I once spent a lot of time with earphones, listening to music at Borders before I bought. With the demise of the CD, I liked to visit to look at their staff recommendation books, to buy a new hardcover that I didn't want to wait for, and to buy gifts. I struggle to think of the loss for generations if, in 20 years, there are no bookstores (thus, one of my resistance points for the Kindle) and reductions of libraries.
Enuff said. Feels like a funeral.
5 comments:
I have to admit that I've only been in Borders a couple of times. While I usually buy via Amazon I do love to browse in
B&N as it's just a stone's throw away from my home.
I got my daughter a Kindle for Christmas and she loves it! I have the Kindle app on my computer and on my Blackberry, but, I'm still a fan of the REAL book. I love the feel and smell.
Now the schools are debating switching to ebooks in the near future.
I don't think I've ever been in a Borders, but since I've never met a bookstore I didn't like, I'm sure I would enjoy visiting one.
I do love my Kindle, but it will never take the place of my REAL books!! I've always said the same thing about Amazon. As much as I enjoy the instant gratification of 1-click ordering, I will always enjoy browsing in a REAL bookstore. We even still have a small "mom & pop" type store in our small downtown. More expensive, of course, but I still shop there occasionally.
We don't have a Borders here (B&N instead), but it truly is a sad thing. I got my sister a Kindle for Christmas and she loves it, but I doubt I'll ever give up real books that I can hold in my hands (and write in the margins).
I'm very sad about the whole Borders thing. I lived in Ann Arbor for several years where the original Borders was/is, before they went national,and loved that store. It is staying, of course.
Where I live now, none of the Borders are closing, in spite of nearby Barnes and Noble stores. I guess my current town has more book buyers than I thought!
Sad, sad, sad and here's the irony: Borders put little mom & pop bookstores out of business (remember "You've Got Mail?"). Now the tables have turned. They didn't keep up with the trends and now, with the popularity of online book ordering (Amazon) and electronic readers, they themselves have a become a dinasour.
Personally I am a big Borders fan, more so than B & N. Can't put my finger on why, but just like the feel better. Right now we are only losing one of the five in our area but I think within a couple of years they will all be gone. So, so sad and definitely like -- as you say -- losing an old friend.
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