Borders Books Bankruptcy: List Of Closing Stores

WSJ:

Borders filed for bankruptcy protection this morning, and said it will close at least 200 stores, plus the option for about 75 more -- or about 30% of the company's total.

Read the whole story: WSJ

Comments

[heroine addict]

11:23 AM on 02/23/2011

The most depressing experience I have had as a book lover was to work at a chain bookstore like Borders. the highlights:

Seeing the utter garbage most people read

Getting to rip the covers off books and throwing them in the dumpster behind the store. There were boxes every week. It was like killing puppies.

[Penelope Asuras]

04:45 PM on 02/19/2011

It's sad. I appreciated how, for a large chain, Borders tended to have more titles in stock even more obscure ones in comparison to their competitors. I worked for them back in the 90s and there was a huge emphasis on knowledge of books, movies, and music needed to work there. They also ran their own cafes independent of other coffee chains. Over time Borders made changes that didn't appeal to me, but I kept hope that the store would always thrive. The biggest difference that stores offer from online books is the ability to brouse and discover new titles on your own and the benefit of a knowledgeable bookeller on hand to guide you in selections. Pretty much online you need to know what you want or have had someone tell you about a book. It's not as random or spontaneous.

[gemini68]

01:51 PM on 02/17/2011

Wow- pretty much all the ones in or around my neighborhood are closing. The only one left will be the main on Downtown on State St.

[raven119]

08:08 AM on 02/17/2011

Borders mistake was adding so many other products that it became a supermarket for all kinds of stuff. and no longer appealed to those of us who love an actual bookstore.

Those of us who like books will continue to shop at independent bookstores. Now, more than ever, we must keep them alive. The e-book is not the only enemy of bookstores: There is the discounting game played by Amazon and Walmart,, both leading the way in an effort to close real bookstores.

[Glory 66]

04:34 AM on 02/17/2011

To me,most impressive in the comments are feelings people have about books,as one said ,liked the smell of them..i love antique bookstores,there is one i visit when i am in the capital of my country;it is marvelous to find a book from the past times,i love dusty and yellow covers,and reading a short notice about the owner;you can find low cost books as well
Bookstores need to look for more solutions to keep them alive,of course it is inevitable to make nice ambient,maybe a coffee shop,and inevitable approach to Internet.

[NebDem78]

04:36 PM on 02/17/2011

Have you ever found letters or notes to someone else in the books? I once found a small letter encouraging somebody to run well during a track-meet.

[Glory 66]

07:38 AM on 02/18/2011

usually it was some dedication ,short message,i don't mind reading them ;i just like holding a book in my hands which used to belong to someone else
it is interesting about your finding

[MaybeMilo]

06:33 PM on 02/19/2011

I once purchased a fairly old, used copy of Mozart's collected letters, and the name originally inscribed inside the cover was MINE.

Now THAT was weird.

[liveandlearn]

03:32 AM on 02/17/2011

people here talk about selection and knowledgeable staff. you couldn't beat the original borders before it became the k-mart borders. the store was small, but it was for book lovers and staffed by such, most of them with their doctorates.

[liveandlearn]

03:22 AM on 02/17/2011

the one near me is closing.

[deepintheheartoftejas]

12:44 AM on 02/17/2011

I hear Sarah Palin is very excited. "I've been saying we should close the Borders for years."

[MaybeMilo]

06:34 PM on 02/19/2011

BOOOO!

: )

[InfinteShibumi]

11:44 PM on 02/16/2011

18th & K Street? Really? Really?!?

[abliss2379]

10:32 AM on 02/17/2011

I understand--Chicago has been decimated. Within city limits, only the State Street store will survive, and a surprising number of suburban locations are gone (tho a Tribune article did reference a Waldenbooks in one of the big office/bank buildings ...).

[NebDem78]

11:54 PM on 02/20/2011

There for awhile in the 80's Waldenbooks was in Omaha, Nebraska. It changed to Book-Worms, but that to left around the 90's. Both of those shops were great.

[Sethj8888]

02:00 PM on 02/17/2011

I am SHOCKED. That is one of the busiest stores of ANY type I have ever seen. I mean they sold tons of coffee as well as books. Very strange.

[InfinteShibumi]

02:11 PM on 02/17/2011

EXACTLY. Hard to see what they could have done differently. It's always packed! And there's always a line to the various cash registers. Can't figure this one out, really.

[jt1980]

07:54 PM on 02/19/2011

Perhaps "the rent is too .... high" - to quote a popular slogan in the recent election.

[deepintheheartoftejas]

11:43 PM on 02/16/2011

Aww, the two nearest my home are closing. I guess my book buying habits will go online/physical from 90%/10% to 100% now.

[Jakesmom]

10:43 PM on 02/16/2011

I was just in Borders today, although I didn't buy any books. The article referenced has comments from people talking about the impact of digital on bookstores; the fact of the matter is that it's not digital that killed Borders; it's that they were behind everyone on this development. I have a nook, and I can tell you that I spend 3-4 times as much as I did before buying the nook (food, bills, then books, everything else is after that). Borders membership didn't cost anything, but with B&N you got an additional 10% off. They are getting rid of two of the best ones here in San Diego county, so I'm bummed.

[jt1980]

08:01 PM on 02/19/2011

I think Borders membership has been pretty good deal. With the regular/free Borders membership, you get Borders Bucks after $150 of spending that you can use to purchase more books. I frequently received through email discount coupons ranging from 20% to (once) 50% off.

Last year I joined the Plus membership (I spent enough money there to justify the $20 membership fee.) I got $10 credit after a month, additional 10% off, and regular coupons for free coffees. The discounts made Borders price very competitive against Amazon on printed books. I think I got my $20 worth and then some.

[mary896]

08:51 PM on 02/16/2011

Crud, I was hoping the one in my town was closing. Nope. Maybe later, cross your fingers! One less big box in my town would be LOVELY. Go grassroots bookstores!!!

[BlackJAC]

07:57 PM on 02/16/2011

The one closest to me is going down, but given its standalone location right next to a highway offramp with only one way in or out of its limited parking lot, not to mention being across a multi-lane street from a mall with a Barnes & Noble, it's not that surprising.

[liveandlearn]

03:25 AM on 02/17/2011

jac, do you live in ann arbor? if you can do the parking, the one at state and liberty is the mother store. but i will miss the one at arborland too.

[BlackJAC]

06:41 PM on 02/17/2011

No, Massachusetts.  I won't miss mine that much because I know of at least two more, albeit at a greater driving distance plus a Borders Express in the town next to mine, but ultimately Borders proper was always a bit of a last-resort store I hit up, usually when I had a coupon for more than 10% off.

[jcarterla]

06:35 PM on 02/16/2011

I didn't see Woodland Hills, CA. Yay!

[Concerned Citizen in CA]

11:51 PM on 02/19/2011

You're lucky! That is a wonderful store. Used to spend many a lunch break there when I worked in Woodland Hills. Now, staying closer to home, the Pasadena store is closing, which is truly sad. It is a much nicer store than the Glendale store, which has horrible parking, and a three story B&N a block and a half away.

[NebDem78]

05:30 PM on 02/16/2011

Maybe with the closings people will wise up and learn that the best place to shop for books is at their local thrift-store.

[BlackJAC]

07:55 PM on 02/16/2011

How so?

[NebDem78]

08:02 PM on 02/16/2011

I have found more important books in a thrift-store for less than a dollar. Many people think that a bookstore like Border's is the best place to find books. It is not the case in my opinion. For example, I recently bought 6 books for 6 dollars, that if I were to go to Border's, I'd would have had to have spend over $135.00 to get them. I'm not certain people will consider going to thrift-stores, but I highly recommend that the next time you want to buy a book or two, try a thrift-store, you'll be amazed at the selection, and the cost.

[rightstroke]

10:35 PM on 02/16/2011

why???? they are overpriced and have a much smaller selection of books... they do not have a coffee shop...

[NebDem78]

11:23 PM on 02/16/2011

You can always bring coffee into a thrift store.