Borders is closing

DaemonSeid · #1 02-25-2011, 08:44 AM

If anyone has been following this for the past year knew that this was an inevitability. Anyone in the MD/DC area the following locations are closing

Kensington
Bowie
Largo
Downtown DC (18th and L)

If you know any that are closing in your area, feel free to post as they are offering up to 20% to 40% off on books and can only get 'better' as the stores get closer to closing.

LaneSig · #2 02-25-2011, 09:23 AM

I hate that they are closing. It's one of my favorite places. Here in the Dallas area, they are keeping 3 stores open (Arlington, Frisco, and the one at DFW airport) and closing the rest - 7 or 9 stores.

I was shocked they are closing the store at West Village - it is always busy.

MysticCat · #3 02-25-2011, 09:30 AM

I was told by a Border's employee (at one of the stores going out of business) that there will be only 3 left in all of North Carolina -- one in Raleigh, one in Charlotte and I'm one not sure where. Greensboro or Winston-Salem maybe. Four in the Traingle (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) are closing.

It was inevitable, but I hate to see it.

Drolefille · #4 02-25-2011, 09:38 AM

There will be no good sales at a Border's closing. Don't fall for it. You can get 20-30% off of cover price STANDARD at book stores/Amazon, and what Border's will sell will be the "bargain books." They can make more money shipping best sellers and such to discount stores OR back to the publisher. You won't be getting the latest *insert author here* for 75% off. They'll ship it to stores that are staying open first.

Just covering that.

MysticCat · #5 02-25-2011, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille

There will be no good sales at a Border's closing. Don't fall for it.

While you have a very valid point, there are still some deals. And everything is on sale, including magazines. If there are some you usually or sometimes buy off the newsstand, it can be a deal.

ComradesTrue · #6 02-25-2011, 09:44 AM

On the one hand I really hate this, but I must confess that I am part of their problem. I used to purchase all my books from there, but in the last few years have been an almost exclusive amazon shopper. With better prices and shipped to my door (or my gift recipient's door) in 2 days via amazon Prime, it just was a better option for me.

I recognize that amazon is becoming the wal-mart of the book business, and this conflicts me greatly. I fear that few book stores can survive against them, but they do have a great business model.

knight_shadow · #7 02-25-2011, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaneSig

I hate that they are closing. It's one of my favorite places. Here in the Dallas area, they are keeping 3 stores open (Arlington, Frisco, and the one at DFW airport) and closing the rest - 7 or 9 stores.

I was shocked they are closing the store at West Village - it is always busy.

Several of my friends live(d) in Uptown, so when I'd hang out with them, I'd often end up at that Borders. There was always a good amount of traffic going in and out of the store. I didn't know which stores were staying open, but those 3 locations seem pretty random.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blondie93

I recognize that amazon is becoming the wal-mart of the book business, and this conflicts me greatly. I fear that few book stores can survive against them, but they do have a great business model.

The "business school" in me feels the same way -- A_mazon recognized trends and acted on them. It sucks that the brick and mortar stores are feeling the pinch, but they should have recognized the shift in consumer behavior (I feel the same way re: BBV vs Netflix vs Redbox, etc).

honeychile · #8 02-25-2011, 11:51 AM

A very good friend of mine is the manager of the Bethel Park Borders, which is closing. Well, actually, I'm friends with his wife. But I digress. He told me what Borders was going to do with the stores, and I can remember saying, "Noooooooooooooooo!" but darned if I can remember. He did say that they knew about it months ago, and weren't allowed to stock some really standard items. The cafes are all closed (in the closing stores).

He has appointments with every type of medical personnel his current Borders plan provides, and to stock up! I can't say that I blame him.

Kappamd · #9 02-25-2011, 01:04 PM

The Borders in my hometown is closing, so I went last weekend when I was visiting my parents. HOLY CHAOS. It was like black Friday x 1000. Second day of the liquidation and all new releases, anything from well-known authors, etc. was extremely picked over (but they definitely were on sale, Drollefille). I got some magazines and a few books that aren't available on my nook, and waited an hour in line to pay. There are definitely some deals as EVERYTHING is on sale, from magazines to stationary to calendars to books.

I asked the cashier how long they expected to remain open and she said they were told 4 weeks, but that she doubted they would last that long.

Senusret I · #10 02-25-2011, 01:19 PM

This would be a good time to stock up on the expensive, export magazines like French Vogue or the various photography magazines. I also saw a lady with am armful of quilting magazines and other craft related stuff.

I'll be going again this evening to see what's left at my favorite one. Last Saturday, at the beginning of the sale, it wasn't bad. Went on Wednesday to another one -- still not bad. I expect a different story tonight, but we'll see.

DaemonSeid · #11 02-25-2011, 01:30 PM

I got an e mail reminding me that the store is closing...on my way there now before this meeting...sigh.

Drolefille · #12 02-25-2011, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticCat

While you have a very valid point, there are still some deals. And everything is on sale, including magazines. If there are some you usually or sometimes buy off the newsstand, it can be a deal.

Thing is they're selling a very tiny amount of stock at the "crazy discount prices." Generally stuff is 10-20% off there anyway, especially new releases. It's not that stuff isn't on "sale" it's that it's unlikely that it'll be worth your while to go. Books in particular.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kappamd

The Borders in my hometown is closing, so I went last weekend when I was visiting my parents. HOLY CHAOS. It was like black Friday x 1000. Second day of the liquidation and all new releases, anything from well-known authors, etc. was extremely picked over (but they definitely were on sale, Drollefille). I got some magazines and a few books that aren't available on my nook, and waited an hour in line to pay. There are definitely some deals as EVERYTHING is on sale, from magazines to stationary to calendars to books.

I asked the cashier how long they expected to remain open and she said they were told 4 weeks, but that she doubted they would last that long.

Overall it's just not worth the omg black friday craze, is all I'm saying, we're not talking 50% off, we're talking 10-20 off list. None of the stuff worth reading will make it to the lower prices before getting returned to publishers or shipped to other Borders stores. Unless you have eclectic tastes.

Just not worth it for me, I suppose. I wouldn't call anything a "good deal."

sceniczip · #13 02-25-2011, 01:46 PM

I've gotten great books from the bargain racks before. No idea why they made it there since I really liked them

I'm going to check out the one that's closing near me and see if I can pick up anything good! When I don't have something specific in mind, I go to a book store so I can actually look at the books. It's easier for me to do than online.

Munchkin03 · #14 02-25-2011, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Thing is they're selling a very tiny amount of stock at the "crazy discount prices." Generally stuff is 10-20% off there anyway, especially new releases. It's not that stuff isn't on "sale" it's that it's unlikely that it'll be worth your while to go. Books in particular.

It depends on "worth your while." I really like to buy architecture magazines from different countries--they're expensive! If they're 50% off, that makes it a bit more manageable. For that, I think it'd be worth my while.

The Barnes and Nobles near my hair salon was closing (they lost their lease) and everything was 50% off--even though there's another BN really close by and it really wasn't a "liquidation sale."

Drolefille · #15 02-25-2011, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

It depends on "worth your while." I really like to buy architecture magazines from different countries--they're expensive! If they're 50% off, that makes it a bit more manageable. For that, I think it'd be worth my while.

The Barnes and Nobles near my hair salon was closing (they lost their lease) and everything was 50% off--even though there's another BN really close by and it really wasn't a "liquidation sale."

Yeah I can see it for specialty things I suppose. The only real way to get good deals on books is to buy them used either locally or online it seems.