Borders Calls Off Auction, Plans to Liquidate

They had it coming due to reacting too slow to market conditions.

They refused to downsize stores which almost every other bookstore has done by getting out of the CD business, or reducing inventory. They were also very reluctant to get out of the 'mall bookstore' market which almost everyone else did 5-10 years ago.  The biggest mistake was 4 or 5 CEOs over the past 5 years with almost none of them having experience selling books. 

With their demise, the remaining small independent book stores might have a chance.  If, they choose a niche and emphasize customer service.  I like to wander thru bookstores sometimes just to see what's there and make the unplanned buy.

Couldn't agree more.  I worked for the company, both at the HQ in Ann Arbor and in stores, for eleven years.  Borders was once a place folks made plans to visit, rather than drop in on an impulse.  Those who took over after Tom and Louis sold the company gto K-Mart, and especially after Bob DiRomualdo and Rich Flanagan left, had no clue what they were doing.  Not that either of them had previous experience in books, but they understood the culture and the customer of Borders.  I knew things were going in the wrong direction when, the Christmas before I was downsized out of a job after 11 years, we received a few cases of Billy Big-Mouth Bass.  Nothing against those who like Billy, but he didn't belong in a bookstore.

Shortly after Amazon came onto the scene, our VP of buyers said that Amazon "wouldn't last, that they were losing too much money, and that folks would always want to shop bookstores."  I still love to go into bookstores, but now do my shopping at (GASP!) Amazon.com and abebooks.com.  I'm sad to see Borders go, but the book company that I loved and was proud to be a part of died a long time ago. 

For living and working in the People's Republic of Ann Arbor, you have my sympathy. 

Barnes & Noble is still losing money, but with their partnership with Starbucks, may survive.

Alabama's own Books-A-Million is making a profit.  Not as fancy inside as their competitor, but a good selection.  Besides, I prefer their coffee and an occasional snack to Starbucks.

No need for sympathy.  Aside from the politics, which mainly centered around the campus, and the winters, A2 is a fantastic place to live.  I was born there and most of my family still live there.  Were it not for the winters, I would still be there, but they haven't figured out a way to block the snow and ice.  Summer, especially, is great there, as you don't have to share the town with students. 

B&N should be okay, they seem to have embraced the changes in readers habits and desires with their Nook. The problem with the big-box stores, including BAM, is that most of the employees, as well as corporate suits, see it simply as a job.  I've read story after story where Borders customers saw a drop in employee knowledge of books.  Knowledge was one of the things that I felt distinguished Borders from B&N.  Customers would come in looking specifically for certain booksellers because they trusted their judgement and recommendations. We, in turn, relied on each other.  If a customer needed a book regarding computers, Gabe was the man to ask.  Kids?  Ask Tabitha or Connie.  Poetry?  Let's go find Molly, that was her major in college.  History was my section and folks knew they could come to me if they were having trouble finding a book that a customer had requested, as well as find out what similar books were available.  That no longer existed at Borders, nor does it exist as it should at the others.  Case in point, when we moved here seven years ago, I went to Bookland looking for a copy of The Federalist Papers.  Couldn't find it in the history section, nor in political science.  After looking for about fifteen minutes, I went up to the clerk working the register.  When I told her what I was looking for, she had this blank look on her face and asked, "Is that a book?"  I gave her the title again, which she couldn't find, then suggested she look under authors Hamilton, Madison and/or Jay.  When she finally found it, she walked me over to the FICTION section!  The most important writings on our Constitution and BAM considered it a work of FICTION?

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The best bookstores are the small independents, especially the ones that sell both new and used books.  There are some LARGE independents, however, that any book lover should visit if iever within 50 miles of them. I nominate first the Trans-Allegheny Bookstore in Parkersburg, West Virginia.  It is located in a former Carnegie Library (the city built a new one and a private party bought the old one).   They have over 600,000 books, all well organized. Scroll down to the fourth item.in this link for more information: http://www.virtualtourist.com/...kersburg-TG-C-1.html

My second recommendation is Haslam's Book Store in St. Petersburg, Florida. They stock both new and used books, and you really don't know what you might find there from time to time, but it is always a great place to browse. They advertise having a mere 300,000 titles. Here is a history of Haslam's:  http://www.haslams.com/history.shtml. They are a mile or so from mid-town, but easy to find and have plenty of parking available.

There is a popular small used book store in the old downtown part of Sacramento.  I can't remember its name, but locals can tell you where it is.  Natchez, Mississippi also has a small but interesting used book store. It, too, is in the old part of town, since almost all of Natchez is in an "old part of town."

Elder's Book Store in Nashville is also a terrific place to find all kinds of great old books at reasonable prices.  You can shop online at Elder's.  Here is a link: http://www.eldersbookstore.com/