RIP: Borders Bookstores

[thewayne]

Having failed to find a suitable buyer, they have decided to shutdown and liquidate. That'll be 11,000 more people looking for jobs.

It's ironic, in a way, that they (and others, like B&N) are responsible for the death of many mom & pop bookstores, only for them to fall to Amazon. Apparently Borders even used Amazon for online order fulfillment, so double-irony.

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/07/borders-liquidation/

Comments

[silveradept]

Borders figured out the right idea...and then lost out to the people who figured out how to do it better. Hopefully, though, that means that our independents will be able to thrive again.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

I've read more than one comment postulating a return of mom & pops. They never fully went away, they went more specialized, but I'm hoping it could be a resurgence.

[silveradept]

The problem is, most people prefer the convenience of delivery to their doorstep rather than the expertise of someone who knows what you'd like to read.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

Oh, but Amazon makes wonderful suggestions!

No, you're absolutely right. There's a lot to be said about expertise and informed recommendations.

[silveradept]

If there wasn't, a large part of my job wouldn't be nearly as wonder-working as it appears to be.