Borders Books is Bankrupt

Borders has declared chapter 11 bankruptcy in a Manhattan court this week. Thirty percent of the chains’ major stores are closing along with the employees who work there. As mass consumers continue to be scattered in their loyalty to brands and companies, there is a dedicated consumer base that continues to support independent book business. Anyone who’s seen ‘You’ve Got Mail’ is familiar with the conflict between independent book sellers and large book chains, but the tables have turned. It seems independent book stores might emerge as the sole sellers of paperbound books in an electronic future.

For ten years Borders has been a safe haven for casual readers, book clubs, kids skipping school, and the homeless. This retail alternative to a library has been in financial trouble for years, but the recent surge in Kindle and iPad e-book sales has sealed this book seller’s fate. Borders will close two hundred stores, lay-off thousands of employees, and will restructure themselves as a bookless hybrid of accessories and literary related consumer goods.

Is the bankruptcy a victory for small business? Many independent bookstores went under during the surge of these mega bookstores in the 90’s.

Small book stores in Los Angeles like Vroman’s in Pasadena and Skylight Books in Los Feliz have been coming up with creative ways over the past decade to compete with the big business attraction of Borders. Booking events with celebrity authors is one key piece of marketing that draws customers back to a small bookstore and reminds them how cool they can be.  Rock star authors always stop at a Borders during their book tours, but small book stores promote authors, too,  and recommend their books for sale.

The attraction of Borders is that it provides the reader with someplace to go. Reading is a lonely business, hours upon hours of sitting in solitude. The structure of Borders provides readers with an intellectual environment in which to read. The small comfort of having people around, whether you’re talking to them or not, is a comfort and a joy. But this doesn’t mean anyone is buying books.

With the exception of major cities perhaps, the American public has seem to forgotten all about libraries, one of the best recourses that society has available. With more seated areas, computer access, and events, yuppies and their jaded kids might find comfort in returning to a familiar but not forgotten place.

The writer will suffer most from this. Any bookstore closing is a sign of things to come for a competitive industry of creative people writing for the same space. What writer’s fear is that the audience will approach reading a book like they would sit down to listen to a record. Record sales currently are associated with a niche market, one that is gaining momentum lately, but still associated with small business. Borders gave hope to writer’s looking to reach a large audience with their books.

Ultimately the shift from print to digital devices is what will bring the publishing business to its knees and book stores with it. Libraries will become even more popular as the Borders crowd seeks an alternative to an atmosphere that is literate and most importantly free.