Everyone is talking about the heat. I'm bucking the system.
I want to talk about Borders. It was a sad, sad day when they closed the Borders bookstore a mile from my house in Madison. I could wander that store for 4 hours on a weekday evening. It was heaven on earth. I'm a big fan of touching books, which sounds far dirtier than it really is. I still haven't adapted to my Kindle, using it only as a secondary means to an end when I am traveling and have no idea what kind of mood I will be in - what kind of reading I want to do.
Otherwise, I still buy books.
Clearly, I'm in the minority.
Borders announced today it is closing all stores, calling off the auction of what is remaining, and disappearing from the American landscape forever.
THIS, is a sad, sad day.
Borders feels like home partly because it is from home...Michigan. Born out of a used bookstore in Ann Arbor in 1971, it is an institution in that city. While not my favorite of all Borders stores, it was a worthy jaunt downtown to return to the mothership.
In an era of price shopping, going online for the best deal but using local merchants to browse and decide...I paid full price at Borders. I do the same thing for my running shoes/gear with the Fleet Feet in Madison. I am willing to pay more when I believe in the good of the place I am shopping. When the people know my name. When they make me feel like I'm home.
I realize the purchase of my Kindle probably contributed to this mess in some small way...this changing face of book buying and reading. However, I question whether this is even deeper than that. Are people reading anymore? I rarely see it. Book clubs are few and far between. The only time I actually see people with books is on a plane.
Is it just my perspective? What would we do if reading really did become as extinct as brick-and-mortar bookstores may become?
7 comments:
I am really going to miss going to Borders. I could browse in there for hours. Just reading the covers and deciding what books I wanted to purchase. Sad, sad day indeed!
Weren't you the one who said that you liked to see the titles of the books that strangers were reading? I like that too. You can learn / guess so much. Rethink the kindle, keep to who you are.... I love your blog and honesty.
As a cheap bastard... or more like a poor one, I love our library. I have given them books, so I have donated some stuff, because really am I going to read these 100's of books?? I love reading for free. :)
That being said when I lived in Normal, Illinois there was a used bookstore. I bought tons of books off that guy. My favorite store ever.
As to reading, I used to read a lot of books, and lost the desire. Now I think it came back for some reason.
So this week I have been reading more books, and falling behind on my blog reading. :)
I usually go to the library, but the kids love Borders. I used to live in Ann Arbor, so this is sad.
Thank you for your comments! And Rich, thank you for the compliment on my blog.
The Borders closing has impacted a broad reach of friends. I think it's an excellent case study on the way a business or a brand can become a thread in the fabric of your life...and how sad it can be when the thread disappears.
Yea I used to visit the borders store locally on occaision too, but I am still a bigger barnes and nobles fan. I am, however, loving the kindle now. And that will not let reading go the way of the bookstore.
LOVE to read! And I have a slight book addiction...are you on Goodreads? It's a great place to discover titles that you may not have heard of before - then you can go to your local bookstore and buy them. :)
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