I’ve heard about the demise of Borders quite often over the past few months, but not normally being in the US hadn’t had a chance to see what was going on for myself yet. Yesterday, though, I arrived, and in I went, because I remember how excited I was when that particular huge Borders opened. It was about as saddening as you’d expect – I felt like a vulture.
What was worse? All of the people saying – loudly – that 10% off wasn’t really a deal, the books were still cheaper on Amazon, and basically complaining about the fact that even while going out of business Borders couldn’t match up. In hearing of employees – who are all losing their jobs. It was awful and brought home to me just how important it is to actually buy books in bookstores, because it seems no one else is going to. I can’t do anything here, but I can at least put my money where my mouth is at home in the UK. I’m also glad that I’ve been doing it.
I have arrived safely at my parents’ house to a number of review copies (although significantly less as I’ve been cutting back), so I’ll be spending the rest of the week and probably most of August trying to catch up. Since I have a whole, glorious week off, I’m also going to try and catch up on writing, with the aim of having a couple of weeks of posts scheduled to try and make up for my next week of 4 hours of commuting and the following week of moving. But we’ll see what happens. I also want to catch up on blog reading – it has been a shamefully long time since I commented on some of your blogs and I have been missing what has been going on!
What are you up to this Sunday?
We lost a chain of music stores here and while I understood the 10 per cent off sales in the very beginning, but when the store was closing literally that night and they still had tons of stuff left, I didn’t understand why they didn’t decrease the prices even more to get rid of it. I don’t have Borders here, but I can understand how sad it is to lose a bookstore. Amazon is taking over the world…. They are the bookstore version of Wal-Mart.
Kailana´s last post …Friday Reads – 2nd Edition
I know what you mean about Borders closing. One was close to my office and my co-workers complained that the prices weren’t really all that great when it was closing. Sad. I’m grateful to have a great independent store in my neighborhood I try to frequent often.
Amy´s last post …The Sunday Salon – Truth Test for Historical Fiction
There was a story about store closing on This American Life a few years ago focused on the workers at Circuit City, remember them. Apparently, when a chain goes out of business they bring in companies that run store closures as a business. One of the very first things they do is raise all the prices before starting with the 10% off, 20% off, 30% off stuff. So you really won’t find any bargains at Borders for a while.
People were very rude about this at Circuit City, too.
CBJames´s last post …TSS: If I hate the book you love, can we still be friends and other topics
Yay! I’m glad you made it home safe and sound. I used to buy my books wherever I could get them the cheapest, but blogging has made me aware of the plight of the indie bookseller and I, too, put my money where my mouth is. My bookseller is small, so she doesn’t always have what I want, but she’s always happy to special order them for me.
bermudaonion (Kathy)´s last post …Review and giveaway: Grammar Girl books
Theoretically, I’ll be catching up on some reading of books today, primarily one by Donald E. Westlake called Watch Your Back!. Realistically, I’m reading Sunday Salon posts and probably the back of my eyelids for a weekly Sunday nap.
unfinishedperson´s last post …A dose of something light to bring levity to your summer reading
I want to go to Borders and see what they have to offer, but I am also afraid of feeling like a vulture. It’s sad that this has happened, and when I think of how few bookstores are actually left in my area, I tend to get really discouraged. I have always supported the stores that are close to me, but so many don’t, which is why we are in the predicament that we are in right now.
zibilee´s last post …Revolution: The Year I Fell in Love and Went to Join the War by Deb Olin Unferth — 224 pgs
I had a similar experience at my local Borders yesterday. It has the best romance section and most wonderful, knowledgeable staff of any bookshop in a very large area, plus weekly bookclubs, and thus the visit was painful on many levels. I left feeling dazed, then realised that for the first time ever I had walked out of there without a single book purchase.
Danielle´s last post …Canary Islands: The Wind Off The Small Isles by Mary Stewart
I had a similar experience in a Borders earlier this week. There was a gentleman in the story that was being pretty cavalier about the whole thing, and I could tell he was irritating the sales associate. It’s a sad situation and I do plan on taking advantage of the liquidation sale in the store by me, but I wish Borders would stay open instead.
Enjoy your week off!
Stephanie´s last post …Book Review and Tour: The Kid
At my local Borders, the employees were dealing with everything you mention, PLUS the air conditioning was off. It was 100+ degrees outside, and even hotter within. I wanted to cry for the cashiers.
That’s a lot to do with a week off! My mom and I went to Borders yesterday. It was kind of depressing. I was never hugely attached to Borders, since the closest one was an hour away, but it seemed like more than one employee was on the verge of breaking down.
It’s been sad, for sure, here, though, our closest Borders went away over a month ago, so I’m well used to it, by now. I’ve been much better about getting to my indies, lately and of course, I still spend way too much time at my local B&N. I will always and forever be a book store junkie and I, for one, will try my best to keep them alive as long as possible.
Good luck in your reading and blogging goals!!