Borders files for bankruptcy - closes 200 stores (1 Viewer)

[Combat]

some irony here in that they put a number of smaller bookstores out of business:

Borders Group, the bookstore chain whose rise helped crush scores of independent booksellers, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization Wednesday, announcing the closing of 200 stores, including eight in the Washington area.

 

[lancer]

Poetic justice, of a sort. I will lament the passing of another seller of books, though. We need more access to bookstores that you can actually walk into and touch a real book, not less. With the death of almost all of the small bookstores, and now Border's closing many locations, there is almost no choice left to those that still enjoy holding and reading and shopping for a real book. The whole situation is getting really sad. -- Al

 

[Mitch]

They shut up shop over here a good few months back. Bagged lots of WW1/11 goodies at very cheap prices
Mitch

 

[jazzeum]

some irony here in that they put a number of smaller bookstores out of business

This too happened with Blockbuster. Until Blockbuster moved into our area, we had a video retail store with two locations. Within a year the small retailer shut one location, then the other. Then, last year Blockbuster files for bankruptcy and they closed their location near us, resulting in no video store immediately near us.

 

[mikemiller1955]

This too happened with Blockbuster. Until Blockbuster moved into our area, we had a video retail store with two locations. Within a year the small retailer shut one location, then the other. Then, last year Blockbuster files for bankruptcy and they closed their location near us, resulting in no video store immediately near us.

Netflix and Redbox cruched both our Blockbuster and Hollywood Video stores...they never reopened after the hurricane...

 

[jazzeum]

I saw a Redbox vending machine outside of our local Shop Rite about a month ago and wasn't impressed with the offerings.

 

[Spitfrnd]

I saw a Redbox vending machine outside of our local Shop Rite about a month ago and wasn't impressed with the offerings.

They are pretty poor and go mostly for the mindless drival. I use both Netflix and Blockbuster. NF has much better shipping and turnaround but BB actually has better Blu-ray coverage and they don't charge extra for it. I also use their instore exchange option a fair bit.

As for Borders, their pricing on many items is extremely poor, quite a bit higher than Amazon for example. I was shocked to see that my local store survived, at least for now.

 

[marco55]

Blockbuster closed in the town I work in but kept a couple open in nearby towns that are out of the way for me so I have went the online route or from Comcast.Somebody who has Netflix say they are like 30 days behind the release date before being available at Netflix.
Mark

 

[The Military Workshop]

By a weird co-incidence same has happened here yesterday. Borders (26 stores) here not owned by the USA group and also was part of a group that included an Australian chain called Angus and Robertson that had been going for over 100 years. Both have gone into administration with 2500 jobs in danger but still trading.

I got a $50 Borders gift voucher for Christmas which I have not used yet. Heard on the radio today that in order to be able to use it I will have to spend $100. Any legal types have a view on that as obviously that was not a condition when the voucher was purchased. Will see what happens when I go there on Sunday.

A couple of months ago I got in some books from Stackpole in the USA and made the normal retail book mark up. When I looked at the Borders price on the same book they were about 33% more than my price ! Were making a very good margin there.

I have also noted two HMV Music stores recently closed down in major shopping centres near me.

Sign of things to come.

Regards
Brett

 

[Combat]

Book pricing is a strange thing these days. If you buy a book at the store it can cost $30 or more. Buy it online from B&N and the cost is about 30-40% less. Buy the e-book and it can be $9-$13. The pricing mitigates against having stores which is probably what they want to eliminate employee and maintenance costs. Factor in that the store can only hold so many books while just about anything is available on online and the end can't be far.

 

[theBaron]

Ours is closing, too. I think the location was doomed from the start. It moved from a prominent location on our MacArthur Road to a spot in the old Whitehall Mall, not the newer Lehigh Valley Mall, where Barnes & Noble has a highly visible location. Borders faces away from traffic, so if you don't know it's there, you drive right by. And when I've been in there, there was always a thin crowd.

And for Barnes & Noble, I order online and save on the cost, and even backorder at the store, and have the book shipped to my door, free of charge.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Toy Soldier Brigade]

I never buy books in a bookstore that allows you read and drink coffee. Most of the books in the big chain stores look like George Costanza was reading them in the bathroom. I'm amazed how people can sit in these stores and read books for hours like it's a library. I buy all of my books from Amazon. At least I know they're free from these losers DNA and germs. If anyone reading this is one of these people I apologize in advance.

 

[damian]

I never buy books in a bookstore that allows you read and drink coffee. Most of the books in the big chain stores look like George Costanza was reading them in the bathroom. I'm amazed how people can sit in these stores and read books for hours like it's a library. I buy all of my books from Amazon. At least I know they're free from these losers DNA and germs. If anyone reading this is one of these people I apologize in advance.

Who is George Costanza?

 

[Mitch]

Damian...
he is a character in Seinfeld!!!

Toysoldierbrigade...

Agree, I cannot understand why people do that or are allowed to do that by the stores Just buy it!!!!. I buy all mine from a great online book store and all are foil wrapped on arrival.
Mitch

 

[damian]

he is a character in Seinfeld!!!
Mitch

Thanks.

 

[Sans Culotte]

The Borders store in Syracuse is closing within the next two weeks, so my wife & I have raided the place three or four times for bargains. Many great military history books for sale, including Civil War, Napoleonics, and scads of Ospreys. With a Borders card, the current discount is now 50%!

 

[4th Hussar]

I never buy books in a bookstore that allows you read and drink coffee. Most of the books in the big chain stores look like George Costanza was reading them in the bathroom. I'm amazed how people can sit in these stores and read books for hours like it's a library. I buy all of my books from Amazon. At least I know they're free from these losers DNA and germs. If anyone reading this is one of these people I apologize in advance.

Gawd, and I thought I was old and grumpy.............

 

[Andanna]

The book stores are going the way of the media stores like HMV and Virgin. Rental stores relying on physical media like DVD's and BD's are next. It is just too expensive and cumbersome to do business like that and new technologies are available.

 

[ExRanger]

I must admit that Borders was the starting point for my illustrated collection of WW2 books going back many years ago. Always had a great selection of WW2 books that Barnes and Noble wouldn't touch. It's only recently that B&N started to expand their WW2 collection to a broader selection of harder to find titles. But in the end the higher ups couldn't compete with the likes of Amazon and down you go.

Even B&N has followed suit to compete with Amazon. I've now purchased some great WW2 titles that sell for $80. and up for a fraction of the asking price. With their 10-25% off coupons on top of that I've scored some great titles at a GREAT price.

 

[Spitfrnd]

I never buy books in a bookstore that allows you read and drink coffee. Most of the books in the big chain stores look like George Costanza was reading them in the bathroom. I'm amazed how people can sit in these stores and read books for hours like it's a library. I buy all of my books from Amazon. At least I know they're free from these losers DNA and germs. If anyone reading this is one of these people I apologize in advance.

What is the point of having a physical location for a book store if not for folks to read from the inventory, which does require so touching I am afraid?:rolleyes2: Actually, I buy most of my books from Abe, Alibris and other used book sellers, most in the Amazon Marketplace so the need for a pristine copy is rather lost on me.:smile2: FWIW, the germs you encounter on the average airline flight make any you might find in any book that has been "read" pale by comparison; unless of course you are buying "those" kind of books but Borders doesn't carry "those" to my knowledge.:wink2: