On the Flip Side…
I can tell you, as anyone who knows me can, that I think a fairy cries every time a bookstore goes out of business. Even though I love my indies, I know that the general public really benefits from the big warehouse bookstores because they otherwise wouldn’t go into a bookstore at all.
It is, with a heavy heart, then, that I am writing this post. I am, obviously, pretty upset about Borders going bust but, then again, I did walk away with a huge stack of books for a very small stack of money. So ha, I just turned my lemons into lemonade.
The good thing about my reading taste is that everyone else snagged the best sellers at 20% off, yet, I have the random literary choices left at something close to 70% off. Here’s my list. Oh and there are two nonfiction that I’ve been after for a while but haven’t gotten around to getting in addition to the cookbook, which was Kai’s choice. I can’t wait to try a few of the recipes out on our pack.
So now I have to know: How do you, as a reader, a blogger, a person, feel about the impending disappearance of at least Borders if Barnes & Noble doesn’t follow soon? Does this spell a huge increase in sales and happiness for indies? Do you think people are going to stay interested in paper books or is this the death call for all physical stores?
Personally, I’m hoping that this is going to push more customers to the indies but maybe I’m just an eternal optimist…
Iwriteinbooks's Blog 
The struggles the big book stores are having doesn’t entirely have to do with the print vs. ebook issue. They were having trouble even before the ebook explosion. I think it has more to do with sites like Amazon, etc. that make it so easy to buy print books online and have them delivered right to your door, often for free. There are some things that consumers may be more uncomfortable about purchasing without seeing, i.e. clothes (what if it doesn’t fit right? You have the hassle of returning/exchanging it), but books are books and you can’t really go wrong ordering them online. My mom is a perfect example of this mindset. She is barely computer literate, but every month she orders a stack of books from Amazon because she is so impressed with how she doesn’t need to go anywhere and she can get the books delivered right to her door. While I’m sure Amazon sells a good number of Kindle books, I don’t think they’re hurting in the print book division either.
I’m a firm believer that ebooks are not here to replace print books; there is room in the marketplace for both because it’s really a preference.
I think you’re very wise. I hadn’t realy thought about that since ‘m definitely the book store shopper, having WAY more fun browsing with my coffee than I probably should!
I’m hoping that you’re on to the truth, here, because I LOVE my indie stores and my paper books however ungreen!
I am of two minds about it. Since I buy most of my reads online, and a lot of digital reads, I love the virtual stores a lot. But I also hate the fact that there are so few physical places to buy books nowadays. It makes me sad to hear that bookstores are going under, when, in my community the only thing that’s left is the Barnes and Noble. We don’t have any indies here in Orlando, and the one we did have went out of business last year. In reality, I would like to see books everywhere. I want to see them online and in physical stores and just want the everyone to have the opportunity to be able to get their book fix in any way they can.
I agree, Heather! My mom actually lives in Orlando and it’s weird that there aren’t that many indie stores since there are vegan restaurants up the wazoo! You’d think that there would be a huge community of indies. Sigh, hopefully B&N will stick around for a while. :O/
I’m all for the bigger stores! Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for indies, and I do most of my own book shopping either at the indie book stores in town, or the half-priced book stores that do book buy-back. However, most of the not-quite-so-in-to-reading masses don’t make it a point of supporting their indie book stores. But I believe in supporting reading as a whole, so I’d much rather you buy your books at Borders than not buy them at all! Great snags in the Borders close-out sale, and thanks for a great update!
Yup, I do think that I’m coming to realize that with Borders closing, it’s the bigger stores that really get the average Joe in to read a book or two. I honestly don’t do a ton of my shopping at indies but I do SOME. We live between a Borders and a B&N so it’s sort of convenient to go shopping at one or the other. We DO though have a TON of indies in Atlanta, still and they’re thriving so I’m proud of that, at least!
I think it’s a sad day any book store goes under. Our Borders closed the last go round and I have a feeling it just helped the other big box stores and not our indie.
I agree, sadly. I think that the majority of people I’ve talked to just switched over to B&N. Hopefully they’ll stick around for a little while. I guess I need to make a better effort to get to indies, myself.
I think it’ll be good for independent book stores and libraries. We have a Barnes & Noble and a Books-a-Million in Asheville, but a lot of independent book stores.
I hope you’re right! Atlanta had a lot but they’re not on my side of town. It’s a bit of an effort to get over there BUT I do try!