Summary of the e-mail Borders just sent me:

[meganbmoore]

Paraphrased:  "Your local Waldenbooks has closed.  Thank you for shopping with us.  Here's a 20% off coupon."

Comments

[kitsune714.livejournal.com]

Hopefully the coupon isn't for the Waldenbooks that just closed?

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Borders in general. The closest of which is 2 hours away now.

[kitsune714.livejournal.com]

There's always borders dot com?

[triptych.livejournal.com]

Ha, what?

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

[a-white-rain.livejournal.com]

Are they wanting to make sure they don't lose sales?

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Apparently!

[ryanitenebrae.livejournal.com]

Does the coupon apply to borders.com?

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Yup.

Interrupting this broadcast to announce

[octopedingenue]

OMG SO WRONGLY CUTE.

Re: Interrupting this broadcast to announce

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

OMG SHOUJO THERESA!

Re: Interrupting this broadcast to announce

[octopedingenue]

HER DEWY SHOUJO EYES!!

Re: Interrupting this broadcast to announce

[octopedingenue]

I am actually tempted by it! Except googling the circle name Otome no Eden turns up scary rape porn. But this one is listed as all ages! And has sparkly shoujo haired Teresa!

[logically.livejournal.com]

We had two Borders close around here as well. Apparently, they have to cut the dead weight off their chain or sink completely. :/

Hopefully you have an alternative book store in the area?

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

One more local new books bookstore, internet, and 2 used bookstores.

[logically.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm a used book store hound, so that's good. I'm not much a fan of local new bookstores, though, since the price is usually marked up. :S

[octopedingenue]

Oh, indie bookstores! We're just silly that way, wanting to pay rent.

[logically.livejournal.com]

Oh it's not their fault, of course...but I'm a poor college student. I go where I can get books cheapest. :P

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

When I worked in book publishing, we couldn't figure out how Borders and B & N thought their model would be sustainable over the long term. Apparently it's not.

[octopedingenue]

I am really fascinated by how the physical bookstores vs online bookstores split is going to shake itself out over the long term--half because I love bookstores, half because it's an interesting sociological thing, half(? again?) because I WORK in a bookstore and so have a vested biased interest in keeping an eye on things. At the very least I know that physical bookstores aren't going to go away entirely, because there will always be the procrastinating student who needs a copy of The Giver RIGHT NOW at 9PM the night before the big test. But they/we are going through big changes, and I haven't figured out where those are heading.

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

Yeah, exactly. (Although I'm out of the business now.) When do we stop wanting things digitally? If 'digital paper' works, will the next generation not care about our attachment to real paper? It's a weird thing.

...we are going to get rid of the computer desk and put in another bookcase, which I think probably says a lot about us.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

My selfish response is "that's only allowed if you have another place to put the computer."

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

We pretty much use the laptop all the time now; hubby's gotten the desktop to run through the TV. So we'll be saving space. Sort of. :D

[kakkobean.livejournal.com]

*laughs*