COMMENTARY | It seems like Borders bookstore is nearing the end of its final chapter. Objections from creditors and lenders have foiled the attempts of the nationwide discount bookstore to stay in business by accepting a bid of $215 million from private-equity firm Najafi Cos, according to The Associated Press. Lenders argued that immediate liquidation would be a far more valuable option. Borders may start liquidation sales and closing stores as early as Friday. Consumer spending habits shifting to online retailers and the poor economy have caused several other "brick and mortar" stores to close over the past few years, an alarming trend that reflects the worst facets of our ever changing society.
I live in a small town, but would travel two hours one way monthly to visit a mall that included a Borders. I bought the majority of my hard back collection from Borders and its rival, Barnes and Noble, usually for a heavily discounted price. Since most readers have an eclectic mix of interests, larger bookstores like Borders were the way to go for serious fans of literature.
I myself would like to strangle the business consultant who started labeling stores "brick and mortar." It used to be that a physical store was just that, and any shopping done online was a special case attributed to the rarity of the item or acquiring used merchandise. I still believe that most shopping is done at physical locations, but the profitability of the online business model leads interested parties to represent a website as the best deal, the most convenient manner of shopping. For me, shopping online is far too impersonal, and it breeds anxiety disorders as well as laziness among the masses who prefer it.
As far as books or any other formerly physical product that has been converted to digital in the past few years, I am not buying. Even with heavy discounts attached, a tangible product that can be touched and isn't subject to multiple forms of electronic destruction is far more appealing to me. The main incentive I would have to buy digital is the organizational benefits and the conservation of waste and energy by not producing the product. These are worth nothing to me when big business is ushering in an age of pale technophiles who do not leave their homes.
I realize that supply and demand have dictated the closure of these stores. I realize I am probably in the minority of Americans, being a highly literate consumer of print magazines and non-fiction books. I do not believe letting certain trends, such as the closing of book stores, continue is healthy for society. Henry David Thoreau wrote of reading Homer in a small cabin in the woods. Edgar Allan Poe pondered "Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore" at the fireside. Humans have been reading physical books since time immemorial. I say I will supply the mortar, you guys can bring the bricks and we help keep physical locations open.
2 comments