Borders files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

[gordo]

Borders has made it official. The bookstore chain has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. "closing 30 percent of its stores may not be enough to save Borders: "You go back 10 years and think of the companies that used to sell CDs and DVDs. It included Tower Records and Strawberries, and these companies are all gone. They're not just smaller. There's no reason to expect that the book business won't have a similar fate. "

More details here: Filing For Bankruptcy, Borders Hits Troubled Times : NPR

Sad :-(

But it's hard to resist buying books on Amazon.com.

gordo

[eskopdl]

Interesting times. Wasn't it the advent of stores like Borders and Chapters that were responsible for the demise of many a small independent bookstore? Now it's eStores, and eBooks, Kindle, iPads, and the like, coming on and cutting into even the big brick and mortars. I will miss knowing that even in the smallest cities, in the middle of the US, chances are I can find a Mall with a Borders and pick up a New York Times.

[Gregg]

I had forgotten all about Strawberries. I bought my first tape there: Motley Crue, Shout At The Devil.

In contrast to Borders, Barnes and Noble, along with their Nook, are doing quite well in the brick and mortar environment. They've also changed their footprint to include toys and games, though.

[michaelejahn]

Yes, indeed - it is a very rare thing when a brick and mortar retailer survives once the main product they sell can be delivered digitally.

Having said that, and as someone who has fully embraced digital exchange of content, I do find myself walking through the aisles of Amoeba Music.