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Is Borders the next to go?

post #1 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:11pm
Thread Starter 
Borders book stores are apparently preparing to shut down their CD and DVD sections (with a resulting discount sale on existing stock planned), but there's word at The Consumerist that the chain may be in bigger trouble, missing payments to distributors and in danger of being de-listed from the NYSE, and could be on the verge of going under.

Not to delight in what will undoubtedly be a difficult time for its employees, but a going-out-of-business sale at a book store would be like crack for me.
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post #2 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:14pm
I actually noticed the DVD sale and that they weren't getting their new release stuff up on time two weeks ago and asked the manager, and they were awfully nervous.

That'd suck, because we need more bookstores not less.
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post #3 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:16pm
It's the only book store I shop at (I prefer a steady stream of emailed coupons to the membership fee and discount of B&N). It's also convenient for me to stop by in Winter Park on the way home from work. Shame if they go under.

Any sale's good for their DVDs though, as they're almost always priced higher (like normal for a bookstore) than I can get elsewhere, especially online.
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post #4 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:21pm
I'll need to hunt for a Borders to check out the sale; alot of their locations have closed over the past few years in MN. It's pretty easy to find a Barnes and Noble, though.

I'd really hate to see any bookstore go under.
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post #5 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:24pm
Thread Starter 
I really love my B&N membership. Worth every bit of the annual fee. On top of the regular discounts (which sometimes get me brand new hardbacks at 50% off), I get additional 15% coupons pretty regularly, and around Christmas time coupons for 25% and higher. And I've always liked B&N over Borders anyway.
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post #6 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DARKMITE8 View Post
It's the only book store I shop at (I prefer a steady stream of emailed coupons to the membership fee and discount of B&N). It's also convenient for me to stop by in Winter Park on the way home from work. Shame if they go under.

Any sale's good for their DVDs though, as they're almost always priced higher (like normal for a bookstore) than I can get elsewhere, especially online.
I too prefer and will miss the coupon stream if they go under. Also, I usually use my Discover card cashback bonus on Borders gift cards. Since we use Discover to pay almost all of our bills (and pay off the balance in full each month), I am used to getting a shitload of free books every six months or so.

Barnes and Noble and their membership fee can go screw. And Book People and its staff of holier-than-thou hipsters is not really an option. Maybe it's time to get a Kindle, but it's not the same as wandering around all of the lovely stacks of books.
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post #7 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:29pm
Well, now I know where I'm heading at lunch.
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post #8 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post
I really love my B&N membership. Worth every bit of the annual fee. On top of the regular discounts (which sometimes get me brand new hardbacks at 50% off), I get additional 15% coupons pretty regularly, and around Christmas time coupons for 25% and higher. And I've always liked B&N over Borders anyway.
I'm in total agreement with you on this. My wife and I earn back our annual B&N fee within a month or two, so it's really not an issue for us.
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post #9 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:30pm
I open 100% of Borders emails and 0% of B&N's. It'd be a shame to see that change.
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post #10 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post
I really love my B&N membership. Worth every bit of the annual fee. On top of the regular discounts (which sometimes get me brand new hardbacks at 50% off), I get additional 15% coupons pretty regularly, and around Christmas time coupons for 25% and higher. And I've always liked B&N over Borders anyway.
Seriously. The fee pays for itself in a trip or 2 easily (especially if you buy hardcovers frequently).
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post #11 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:34pm
I prefer Borders (particularly the cafe), but I do more shopping at B&N. I have a kindle now, but it tends not to have the latest books that I want, instead drowning the reader in favor of more Danielle Steel swill.
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post #12 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:34pm
I live within walking distance of both but I did notice that the merch in Borders wasn't looking too good. Something was definately off in that place.
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post #13 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:38pm
Back in 01-02 I was a Music/Video supervisor for a Borders Store here in Indy, a dream job for any 18-19 yr old film geek. Due to the high prices on Music and DVD's it's not a surprise this is happening. Back before Amazon.com became the place to order from, Borders used to be the place to go in order get that rare DVD or CD that you could not find at Best Buy. Sad to see this happen but I pretty much shop at B&N now, the stores are just nicer...
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post #14 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eyeball Kid View Post

Barnes and Noble and their membership fee can go screw. And Book People and its staff of holier-than-thou hipsters is not really an option. Maybe it's time to get a Kindle, but it's not the same as wandering around all of the lovely stacks of books.
Have you tried the Austin Domy?

The one in Houston is nice, and their movie nights are to die for. I'd kill for a Chewer Domy night.
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post #15 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:43pm
An 82-year-old, much-beloved, award-winning, family-owned local chain of bookstores (whose tables of overstock books and used sections made them indispensible) is in the process of closing all of its locations here due to the economic threat of both online sales and the national chains.

So I guess what I'm saying is that I'm finding it hard to muster up much sympathy for fucking Borders. Still, I'd much rather shop at a store than order online.
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post #16 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:46pm
There's nothing like trapsing around a bookstore. I admit to rarely buying stuff but I always liked looking at the merch.
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post #17 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyG View Post
Have you tried the Austin Domy?

The one in Houston is nice, and their movie nights are to die for. I'd kill for a Chewer Domy night.
I had no idea this existed. Thank you.

And I visted Book People recently a couple of weeks ago and loved it. I didn't realize it was a hipster joint.
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post #18 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan "Nordling" Cerny View Post
I had no idea this existed. Thank you.
Visit the Midwest forum! I've been trying to get a group for a chosen Domy movie showing for a while. They have pretty incredible choices for films.
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post #19 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:51pm
This makes me wonder if this beaten in used book store on Friar is still around? I'll need to take a drive over there.
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post #20 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdHocken View Post
There's nothing like trapsing around a bookstore. I admit to rarely buying stuff but I always liked looking at the merch.
I agree. The B&N over by me (literally 5 minutes away) is one of the bigger and better ones, so it's fun to spend an hour or so soaking it all in.

Most of the employees at this location are the older, non-hipster types, and they love to talk books with you if you have any questions. It's ALWAYS packed and seems to do really good business.
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post #21 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:52pm
Never was a huge fan of Borders (I prefer to shop local. If I do go to a chain, I hit up B&N because their clearance racks have given me no shortage of absolutely insane, off the wall shit for cheap prices), but I don't like seeing anything book related struggling.
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post #22 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:53pm
That's cool. I went to finally buy the Mayor of Castro Street the other day and the woman who rung it up (an older lady) asked me what the book was about. I said she should look at the cover.
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post #23 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:55pm
The Borders near me closed right around Christmas. It's too bad because I used to enjoy looking through there, finding stuff I liked, and then going home to order it all from Amazon.
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post #24 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdHocken View Post
That's cool. I went to finally buy the Mayor of Castro Street the other day and the woman who rung it up (an older lady) asked me what the book was about. I said she should look at the cover.
Was it the cover with him sitting back in a chair and giving the camera this, "Oh yeah" face?
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post #25 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:56pm
No, that's the prior printing. This was the upclose shot of him. The one they reprinted for the movie.

Typically I'll pick up stuff used from Amazon but there are some books and some times where I'd just want the book now and the wait isn't really worth the two-three bucks off.
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post #26 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:57pm
The only thing that bothers me about Borders being laid off, other than people losing their jobs obviously, is it's going to be another massive plot of land and retail space sitting empty in Houston. And along a major artery road that is notorious for them.
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post #27 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moltisanti View Post
The Borders near me closed right around Christmas. It's too bad because I used to enjoy looking through there, finding stuff I liked, and then going home to order it all from Amazon.
Leave it to Molt to cut through the BS. Ultimately, it all comes down to price.
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post #28 of 171
3/25/09 at 12:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyG View Post
Visit the Midwest forum! I've been trying to get a group for a chosen Domy movie showing for a while. They have pretty incredible choices for films.
They totally do. I'm looking at the list now. Absolutely, we should have a Houston Chewers night.

Sorry for the derail. I should start a thread in Midwest!
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post #29 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:05pm
I love B&N and like many others here find their membership a great deal. I buy a ton of books and I always save using the B&N card. There is a B&N next to my work and home so I'm always there. There is a Borders across the street from my work and its a dead zone compared to B&N. I think its on its way out since a few of the other stores in the same complex have closed. I hate to see Borders die, but as long as B&N is healthy I'll be happy.

Edit - Does anyone actually buy CDs or DVDs from bookstores? I've always found the CD/DVD prices at both B&N and Borders to be ridiculous. Why would you buy a DVD from a bookstore when the same thing is $5 cheaper at Best Buy and $10 cheaper online?
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post #30 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:08pm
As long as Powell's is still there whenever I visit Portland, I will survive.

Still a bummer, though.
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post #31 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JudgeSmails View Post
I love B&N and like many others here find their membership a great deal. I buy a ton of books and I always save using the B&N card. There is a B&N next to my work and home so I'm always there. There is a Borders across the street from my work and its a dead zone compared to B&N. I think its on its way out since a few of the other stores in the same complex have closed. I hate to see Borders die, but as long as B&N is healthy I'll be happy.

Edit - Does anyone actually buy CDs or DVDs from bookstores? I've always found the CD/DVD prices at both B&N and Borders to be ridiculous. Why would you buy a DVD from a bookstore when the same thing is $5 cheaper at Best Buy and $10 cheaper online?
My music and film purchases are almost exclusively online (save for the frequent impulse buy for a DVD that usually occurs at Best Buy or Wal Mart). When I go to a bookstore, I want books.
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post #32 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:12pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdHocken View Post
There's nothing like trapsing around a bookstore. I admit to rarely buying stuff but I always liked looking at the merch.
I have a friend who simply cannot understand the concept of browsing in general, and in book stores in particular. He's of the mindset that you go when you want something specific, you get that specific thing, and you leave. Whereas I can easily kill two or three hours just wandering around picking up random things that interest me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JudgeSmails View Post
Edit - Does anyone actually buy CDs or DVDs from bookstores? I've always found the CD/DVD prices at both B&N and Borders to be ridiculous. Why would you buy a DVD from a bookstore when the same thing is $5 cheaper at Best Buy and $10 cheaper online?
I've gotten some good deals on DVDs at B&N using their coupons and buy-one-get-one specials, but those are few and far between.
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post #33 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:12pm
Sometimes Borders will send me a huge coupon which makes a CD quite cheap. Other than that, no.
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post #34 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post
I have a friend who simply cannot understand the concept of browsing in general, and in book stores in particular. He's of the mindset that you go when you want something specific, you get that specific thing, and you leave. Whereas I can easily kill two or three hours just wandering around picking up random things that interest me.
This man has never heard of the "Lazy Afternoon" concept.
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post #35 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:19pm
Damn, that would be a shame if Border's went under. I always loved the Coke vs. Pepsi rivalry they had with B&N. Having worked many long years for B&N in both Orlando and Chicago. I kind of prefered them for books, but I liked Border's DVD/CD collection a lot more.

A Border's DVD sale would be for me what the Sirens were for Odysseus' crew.
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post #36 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:20pm
Mourning the potential passing of Borders? Really? I'm more worried about libraries.

I'd also absolutely love to see more mom-and-pop shops show up and do gangbusters business. Fuck Borders.
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post #37 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jake View Post
Mourning the potential passing of Borders? Really? I'm more worried about libraries.

I'd also absolutely love to see more mom-and-pop shops show up and do gangbusters business. Fuck Borders.
The problem is that the death of Borders isn't likely to stimulate the appearance of Mom and Pop stores. It just makes one less outlet for books.
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post #38 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drew S. View Post
The problem is that the death of Borders isn't likely to stimulate the appearance of Mom and Pop stores. It just makes one less outlet for books.
True, but, as I mentioned above, the reverse is certainly true. The success of Borders and B&N (although probably moreso Amazon) is manifesting in the death of Mom and Pop stores. The local chain I mentioned regularly had better deals than the big stores and had more helpful employees, and some even included or were connected to coffee shops. There was literally no conceivable advantage in going to the big box stores; they were just flashier. And Amazon's flashier still.
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post #39 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveB View Post
The success of Borders and B&N (although probably moreso Amazon) is manifesting in the death of Mom and Pop stores. The local chain I mentioned regularly had better deals than the big stores and had more helpful employees, and some even included or were connected to coffee shops. There was literally no conceivable advantage in going to the big box stores; they were just flashier. And Amazon's flashier still.
Yep. It's kinda similar to the "small restaurants vs. chain restaurants" debate: do people go to Borders because they genuinely like it, or do they do it just because it's something convenient, familiar, and easily recognizable as opposed to a hole-in-the-wall that might have some fantastic stuff?
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post #40 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:46pm
That analogy doesn't quite work because food varies from place to place. Most often a bookstore unless it's some kind of specialty store is going to have the same stuff. It depends on conveience and what they can hold.

And it wasn't just Borders or B&Ns fault. Supercrown anyone?
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post #41 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:47pm
My local bookshop has a great atmosphere. The selection isn't massive, but it's a nice quiet place, with handmade hardwood shelves, and a store cat that hangs out freely. Absolutely wonderful. They also carry lots of stuff by local and regional writers that is hard to find at chains or online.

But the owner has operated it at a loss for years. He can afford to because he made a ton of money before he retired, and he says that it isn't a huge loss or anything. But he's never profited at it, and he's been open for quite a while now.
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post #42 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:47pm
I go to this local place downtown called "The Book Cellar"...

Yes, it's appropriately named.

Only downside is that they only take cash...then again, my bank has an ATM about two blocks away from the store.
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post #43 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdHocken View Post
That analogy doesn't quite work because food varies from place to place. Most often a bookstore unless it's some kind of specialty store is going to have the same stuff. It depends on conveience and what they can hold.
Which is why I said "kinda" like that debate. It's more the emphasis on familiarity than variety.
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post #44 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:52pm
I wish I could be sad about this but the prices at Borders always sucked.
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post #45 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jake View Post
Which is why I said "kinda" like that debate. It's more the emphasis on familiarity than variety.
I understand, I think it's also location. If you're out in the bumfuck suburbs, it's pretty unlikely you'll have some kind of local bookstore unless it's some kind of odd specialty place.
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post #46 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:53pm
My gripe with the mom and pop bookstores is I've yet to find one that allows me to both shop for books and leaf through the most recent issue of Lowrider.
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post #47 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:54pm
Isn't that what 7-11 is for?
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post #48 of 171
3/25/09 at 1:57pm
Right or wrong, the average consumer probably has a conception that a B&N store will probably have a wider selection of books than a Mom and Pop store: a bigger store = more stock and selection. In truth, alot of the Mom and Pop stores will individualize their stores to cater to their clientele, making for more of a selection of the books that you really want.
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post #49 of 171
3/25/09 at 2:17pm
Just got back.

The Party (DVD) $7.00
Hellboy II (BD) $20.00
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post #50 of 171
3/25/09 at 2:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveB View Post
An 82-year-old, much-beloved, award-winning, family-owned local chain of bookstores (whose tables of overstock books and used sections made them indispensible) is in the process of closing all of its locations here due to the economic threat of both online sales and the national chains.

So I guess what I'm saying is that I'm finding it hard to muster up much sympathy for fucking Borders..
I'm in this camp. We lost all of our indie book stores too.
Fuck the big box.
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