Borders to close Santa Barbara store

**Brian Foley** · 11-17-10, 11:56 PM

Borders to close Santa Barbara store

National book retailer Borders is closing its downtown Santa Barbara store amid a nationwide wave of store closings.

Jason Roy, the general manager of the 900 State St. location, told the Business Times on Nov. 16 that the store would be closing in January.

“It’s sad that this Borders is leaving State Street,” said Roy, who’s been with the company for nine years, the past three months at the Santa Barbara location.

The store has about 35 employees, he said...

Soon the time of the burning of the books will be upon America... and the notes from the federal reserve will be used to ignite the kindling

**Fraggle Rocker** · 11-18-10, 05:34 AM

Originally Posted by Brian Foley

Soon the time of the burning of the books will be upon America.

Huh??? Like everything else, people buy books online. I buy mine from Amazon. Without a physical store and clerks their overhead is much lower so they have better prices. And since in many cases they simply serve as a distributor and guarantor for other retailers, they have a much larger selection.

Also, I have a Kindle so I buy most of my books in digital form. That makes them much more convenient, e.g., increasing the font size in a poorly lit subway station, taking notes, no stacks of paper filling my tiny living quarters, carrying two or three in one pocket at the same time.

I also get my newspaper that way. I can bookmark articles I want to reread, no digging it out of the snow in the morning, much easier to read in a bouncing subway car packed with commuters.

We're slowly evolving toward the paperless office, what's so strange about the paperless library or the paperless bookstore?

I wonder if people were nostalgic about scrolls, and felt the same way when two-sided paper and the flat-bound codex were invented? Or about hand-illuminated manuscripts when the printing press debuted?

Oh wait, those old technologies were so cumbersome and inefficient, only a tiny fraction of the population was literate because there was nothing for them to read!

**ejderha** · 11-18-10, 06:29 AM

I don't think people will ever stop buying books. But it's going to get more expensive as will paper do.

By the way trying to read a scroll or a leather bound text is a pain in the ass. It's tiring and irritating. They are heavy, smelly (the ones made of animal skin) you have to wear gloves as they are historical artefacts. Even imagining it new and safe it's a hell of a job moving scrolls from a table to table. They are also huge. But it's a wonderful feeling to hold one as they are very old.

Has anyone seen this?

http://www.themodernword.com/eco/eco...e_of_book.html

**GeoffP** · 11-18-10, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by Fraggle Rocker

Huh??? Like everything else, people buy books online. I buy mine from Amazon. Without a physical store and clerks their overhead is much lower so they have better prices. And since in many cases they simply serve as a distributor and guarantor for other retailers, they have a much larger selection.

Also, I have a Kindle so I buy most of my books in digital form. That makes them much more convenient, e.g., increasing the font size in a poorly lit subway station, taking notes, no stacks of paper filling my tiny living quarters, carrying two or three in one pocket at the same time.

I also get my newspaper that way. I can bookmark articles I want to reread, no digging it out of the snow in the morning, much easier to read in a bouncing subway car packed with commuters.

We're slowly evolving toward the paperless office, what's so strange about the paperless library or the paperless bookstore?

I wonder if people were nostalgic about scrolls, and felt the same way when two-sided paper and the flat-bound codex were invented? Or about hand-illuminated manuscripts when the printing press debuted?

Oh wait, those old technologies were so cumbersome and inefficient, only a tiny fraction of the population was literate because there was nothing for them to read!

Those are valid objections, but it's really not good for people's jobs. There seems to be this belief in America that such changes are inevitably for the good, whatever happens to employment, because they increase efficiency: not forgetting that the 'fat' being trimmed off is people's work. I'm sorry, but it's deplorable, ultimately, to subject a workforce from whom increasing demands of retraining are constantly being met. It's an argument only a white-collar worker in a secure position could ever make.

**Brian Foley** · 11-18-10, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by Fraggle Rocker

Huh??? Like everything else, people buy books online. I buy mine from Amazon. Without a physical store and clerks their overhead is much lower so they have better prices. And since in many cases they simply serve as a distributor and guarantor for other retailers, they have a much larger selection.

38% of US internet users have bought books online. Buying a book is more efficient from a store same day walk in convenience. Purchasing online when I do from AbeBooks.com which links all bookstores across the globe to find your book, much sales through bookshops are from internet orders. The closing of bookshops in America is from the economic decline.

**spidergoat** · 11-18-10, 11:39 AM

Overreact much? Borders actually inhibits the free dissemination of knowledge. I have gone there to buy controversial books, and they never have them, you have to order it.

**Cowboy** · 11-18-10, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by spidergoat

Overreact much? Borders actually inhibits the free dissemination of knowledge. I have gone there to buy controversial books, and they never have them, you have to order it.

Damn them! Let me know if you ever find a book store that always has a copy of every book ever written.

**spidergoat** · 11-18-10, 11:53 AM

These were current books, very much in the media at the moment, while they stocked thousands of insipid romance novels. I think they are biased. They had no shortage of room or inventory.

**Cowboy** · 11-18-10, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by spidergoat

These were current books, very much in the media at the moment, while they stocked thousands of insipid romance novels. I think they are biased. They had no shortage of room or inventory.

Maybe they are biased. Maybe not. But I'm pretty sure that they don't have enough room to carry at least one copy of every book in existence to avoid accusations of bias.

**spidergoat** · 11-18-10, 12:54 PM

I wasn't asking for every book in existence.

**quadraphonics** · 11-18-10, 01:07 PM

This is unsurprising - there are like 2 other large book retailers on State Street, and Santa Barbara is not a very big town (doesn't even have an REI!).

Although I'd prefer it if the other book stores closed - that location is really quite nice for a bookstore. It has a sort of open atrium inside, an expansive downstairs with comfortable reading nooks, a nice cofee shop area, and there are always street performers in the plaza out front (well, they'll presumably stay). Plus I'm a bit nostalgic for that particular location because that's where I bought my copy of Infinite Jest.

**spidergoat** · 11-18-10, 01:48 PM

Book stores are going the way of CD stores and movie rental places. They are an anachronism.

**Michael** · 11-21-10, 02:26 AM

I buy books at a local bookstore even when I can get them cheaper simply because I value the service, atmosphere, cafe and friendly staff. I gladly support my books stores role in my community because it's a nice place to go hangout and have a coffee and read. I hate when people bring a book in from Amazon and sit in that cafe and freeload off the free internet (well, I guess it's good they buy a coffee which helps support staff who ultimately pay rent to the book store).

Just because something is cheap and efficient doesn't mean it's good for the community and the society.

**kmguru** · 11-21-10, 07:26 PM

I have not bought books in a book store since 1999. Either from Amazon, borrow from library or download minimal interest books. But between 1985 and 1999, I have bought tons of books at the book store to the point that I had to buy protective covers like those you see in the libraries to protect them.

**Michael** · 11-21-10, 07:28 PM

It's not really about buying books from bookstores - it's about supporting local shops.

**kmguru** · 11-21-10, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by Michael

It's not really about buying books from bookstores - it's about supporting local shops.

That is what was in this country before, because people had a lot of disposable income. Now that people live pay check to pay check, that is not prudent.

It is a fallacy that supporting local shops will increase wealth of this nation. Only if you buy domestically produced goods with domestic content, then you can provide that benefit.

My local shop people are too rude and hence one by one we stopped buying from them. We usually give them the benefit to be friendly first, if not, we move on. There are few who are good (20% rule) and we stay with them.

**Michael** · 11-21-10, 07:45 PM

Well, I should say, support the local businesses you like to see stay in business!

**Gremmie** · 11-21-10, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by Michael

Well, I should say, support the local businesses you like to see stay in business!

I support my local tavern...That counts right?

**Michael** · 11-21-10, 10:40 PM

That does count!

**superstring01** · 11-22-10, 05:18 AM

While 38% of Americans buy books from online, Borders just ain't competing with Barns and Nobel who has an online and storefront presence that keeps people coming back.

Goodbye Borders! You will not really be missed.

~String