Bummer. Local Barnes & Noble closing

Shopping for books in person: I'm a Borders devotee. I used to be a big fan of the local independent, Joseph-Beth, but their selection — which used to be wonderful — has become a mirror image of B&N.

More often than not, these days: http://www.alibris.com

 

DO NOT SAY THAT! I will not stand for trashing of JoeBeth's, but I also haven't been in a year or two. Course, you freaks in your area get the offshoot store. I'll bet the Lexington one is still awesome.

 

Sorry, IJAG.

And please don't out me on facebook - the JoBeth owner, Neil Van Um, is a fb friend.

They still do way more ancillary things that makes them a great bookstore — TONS of author appearances, customer service up the wazoo, decent prices.

However, I cut my appearances there down after a summer of disappointment a few years back. I'd go there for some sports book I'd heard of, or when I got hooked on O'Brien's Aubrey-Maturin series ("Far Side of the World"), and if they had it at all, it was some crappy paperback. I'd motor over to Borders, and they'd have what I was looking for every time and they'd have it in hardback (my preference). Hell, even with the classics, you'd have to order hardcover at Jo-Beth. I wanted to re-read Ulysses, and couldn't find my copy. All J-B had was some paperback marketed for high school lit class, but Borders had a nice hardcover for $25.

 

I don't know. I have a Kindle. A lot of people do. I feel awful about no longer frequenting bookstores, but I have the convenience of downloading brand new books for half the price. I think technology has much to do with the downfall of bookstores. And I'm sorry to type that.

 

Is it really possible that having full bookshelves won't remain as a living room or den furnishing statement? I really think books have a much better chance of survival than newspapers. They may be more and more bought online, but I don't think they'll lose their cachet as a paper product.

 

A B&N store employee told me why the books are so much cheaper online than in the stores -- shipping fees. Once you add in the shipping fees it costs the same or a just a couple of dollars less online than in the store.

 

Plus, I would think having to pay to have employees and for the physical store would also crank up the price.

 

Funny ... B&N just broke ground on a new store here.

 

Being built by Sisysphus Contractors.

 

I just want to know - if someone buys my book online, do I get paid a percentage of the list price or of the discounted price? Anyone know?

 

Said employee's full of it -- spewing the typical self-serving crap
B&N is famous for. When you observe the $25 minimum order, free shipping from Amazon makes an amazing difference.

The bricks-and-mortar establishment (unless you always have
that nifty 30%-33%-40% Borders coupon in hand) is for something you have to have, in your hands, NOW.