OT- Borders books closing

 I love bookstores. I worked at Borders for 2 years a couple years back and had the best time in my life. It is so sad that all the Borders stores are closing. I don't like to imagine a future without bookstores. I admit I have a kindle but I love holding an actual book. Thoughts?

I've spent many hours in bookstores throughout my adult life. But I am afraid it is the sign of our economic times. People just don't have the disposable income to spend on books that have increased so much in price. $25-$35 for a hardback book that will be read once and put on shelf is  hard to justify these days.  Paperbacks cost today what I used to pay for a hardback. This, of course, will eventually impact the publishing industry and all the suppliers and vendors. And we will be back to the days when only the wealthly could afford books and the rest of us will have to depend on libraries until their funding starts drying up as tax revenues continue to go down. In my small town the proposed new library has been on hold for over 10 years. Those are my thoughts on this situation.

I too love bookstores.  I worked at one all through high school.  Although I have a kindle, I still love going to the store to browse the books.  And my kids love going to the book store too.  I still buy books for them.

Borders closing is very sentimental to me. I went to college in Ann Arbor MI and shopped at the very first Borders Book Shop. Just the 2 Borders brothers worked there - they would put a note on the door if they had to step out for a minute. The store was about as wide as my living room, with high celings, tables and tall shelves of books - and it actually began as a USED book store.

Then about 1974 ish they moved to larger digs across the street. Wonder of wonders, they discounted bestsellers. AND....they had nice wooden benches throughout the store, so shoppers could sit down and browse through a book they were considering.

It was my favorite place to shop and remained at the top of my list for many years.

I think the whole e book revolution has impacted Borders negatively because they were late coming on board for that. Their "rewards" program linked to far too many outside vendors - detracting from the "book lover" base that they needed to continue to foster in light of B&N, Amazon, etc. etc.

But still....I will miss them terribly.

They are all closing? I know that two of the locations near me closed (I scored some major deals there) but one remained open and I was told that they were not closing.