First Borders...Now B&N? (high school, kids, books)

[OhioNative]

Originally Posted by lastminutemom

I read a ton, a combination of ebooks and real books. But there are certain books that simply have to be held and for those, I generally shop at BN. I would love to say I am the most organized person and I can think ahead and order from an online source, but generally that doesn't happen.

I'm the same way. Certain books I just have to buy in the "real book" format. Also, my middle school and high school kids almost always prefer the real book to an e-book.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

when it comes to media, you're on a continuum.

with games and movies, the physical packaging is the least important part, and the future of these is likely to be entirely digital.

with music, album covers and physicality are very important to a lot of people, so while most music will be digital in the future, there will always be vinyl for those who want a more personal experience.

books are at the other end of the spectrum. unlike the others, you spend your entire time with the physical medium, and i believe there are simply too many people who enjoy holding an actual book for e-books to entirely take over. while e-books are certainly cutting into the traditional book market, i don't think books will ever go away, even to the point that physical music has.

What's interesting is that Georgia Tech's library is pushing most of its books into an off-site warehouse, freeing up space for students to "collaborate". The digital trend is probably unstoppable.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by JPD

This is what B&N Needs to learn. Every time I go to DC, I stop in to Kramerbooks and other small bookstores. Immediately upon entering, there are dozens of new or recently released books on display, and at least half of them are books I'd love to read. Their general inventory is also stocked with more interesting titles than you'll find at B&N. These are well curated stores. B&N, on the other hand, bombards you with garbage everywhere you look. Books made popular by movies, books by the likes of Guy Fieri and others who know nothing other than self promotion.

I went into Little Shop of Stories in Decatur on Saturday to buy a gift and the place was mobbed. That was nice to see. It felt like a Kramerbooks type of place, except focused mainly on young readers.

LSOS is a treasure, for sure.
Children's books seem to be the last best hope for booksellers. They have a tactile quality that adult books do not. Children and parents want to touch and see them before they buy them.

[Cameron H]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

LSOS is a treasure, for sure.
Children's books seem to be the last best hope for booksellers. They have a tactile quality that adult books do not. Children and parents want to touch and see them before they buy them.

...from Amazon. It's true that digital hasn't had the same impact on children's books as on other categories, but children's bookstores are still struggling. Parents and kids visit them for storytime and other events, check out the books, and then purchase the ones they want online. "Showrooming" apps (including the Firefly app built right into the new Amazon phone) make it easy to order your books online as you "shop" in the local bookstore.

I dearly want bookstores to survive. But I just don't see it.

[ATLTJL]

with games and movies, the physical packaging is the least important part, and the future of these is likely to be entirely digital.

Not quite so fast...game companies would LOVE for all games to be completely digital because they want to squash the second hand market. They don't make any money off of used game sales.

BUT, the second Microsoft adopted model for the Xbox One, the public outcry was so immense that the company had to reverse that decision 24 hours after announcing it. The public is simply not ready for exclusive digital distribution, because people are smart enough to realize the only reason companies want it is because they want to have us by the balls.

So I think you won't see it until the public gets dumber, if that happens.

[ElleKaye]

Originally Posted by JPD

...I went into Little Shop of Stories in Decatur on Saturday...

Oh look, they are having what I would call a book fair on the 31st: Events | Little Shop of Stories | Decatur, Georgia. I used to love book fairs. It seems a bit juvenile for me, but the number of places I have never heard about in the metro never ceases to amaze me.

[billl]

Speaking of new bookstores:

The Marietta Daily Journal - Book Warehouse to open at Town Center at Cobb mall

[Mal93]

As a kid the big Salvation Army booksale at the mall (N Dekalb I think) was a must-do!
I used to sell rare books for a hoidy toidy company in NYC and have continued to sell online as an on again/off again hobby.

We actually have a good variety of booksales in and around the metro. Here is a calendar (scroll down for GA):
Book Sales in Georgia

I always go to the Georgia Antiquarian Booksellers show too. As many indie booksellers have done away with brick and mortar, this is a great opportunity to see their inventory or meet fellow bibliophiles. Not all of the books are prohibitively expensive.
They haven't announced this years date...used to be around Sept-Oct.
The Georgia Antiquarian Booksellers Association (GABA)

I bought so many amazing indie videotapes & small press books when the 2 Oxfords closed. sad sad day. Used to help with the rare book bindery inside of the last vestige of that great company, Oxford Comics on Piedmont. Fortunately, we still have a lot of indie bookstores, most of which have comfy areas to sit and read and a resident cat (or...ten) to sit with you:
Atlanta Vintage Books - Clairmont Rd
Bound to be Read books - EAV
Books Again - Decatur
A Capella- Haralson at Dekalb Ave
Shrine of the Black Madonna- West End (African American history/ heritage books)
Charis- L5P
Doc Bombay's (used books sold there benefit the Learning Tea charity)- Candler Park
Book Nook- Clairmont Rd & also E Cobb
There's one on the square in Woodstock, sorry can't recall the name! I think it is a Christian focused store --has a nice selection of Southern writers.
Criminal Records - L5P (comics, graphic novels, books on music, indie art/culture books & zines)
I know there are more that's just ones I have frequented the most.

And, for those who can't find more obscure books at amazon or on ebay, there are book specialist aggregate websites where items are listed by independent booksellers (alibris, abe, biblio, abaa, and ilab). I've used all of these for years and you most always have the opportunity to examine the book and return it if you have issues with its condition. Its great for accessing dealers who specialize in certain presses, types of books, authors, or topics. You deal with the seller directly, so they take pride in their packaging (sorry, amazon, a cardboard box with a flattened airbag isn't sufficient packaging for more fragile books or bindings). I have developed several great relationships over the years. Sellers learn what you are interested in/your typical budget, and are often willing to accept layaway for more precious editions.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by ElleKaye

Oh look, they are having what I would call a book fair on the 31st: Events | Little Shop of Stories | Decatur, Georgia. I used to love book fairs. It seems a bit juvenile for me, but the number of places I have never heard about in the metro never ceases to amaze me.

No doubt in conjunction with this:

www.decaturbookfestival.com

[berkeleylake]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

True what you say about B&N. What I really miss are the great old independent bookstores where you had a more esoteric selection of titles and you could browse for hours. Oxford Books here in Atlanta was a prime example.
They're still out there, but nothing like in the past. There was something about finding undiscovered treasures on the shelf that the current technology cannot replicate.
BTW, we have a great independent down here on SSI in GJ Ford Books. Be sure to stop by if you're in the neighborhood.

Home

Sometimes the old news stories are still new, even if the article quoted is about a year old. Yep, same as you, LovinDecatur, I do miss ye old Oxford books quite a bit, even if they have been gone a long time from the Atlanta scene. Occasionally, I do enjoy B&N to browse, but I only buy books there that are discounted. I hope B&N can continue to exist, but just as the others said here, they are behind the curve in competitive pricing with their competition for selling newly printed books. I will buy an occasional hard-to-find magazine at B&N.

There is one type of print book that I think digital formats just cannot replicate too well at this time and that is large picture/illustrated books. I really enjoy picture books that some refer to "coffee table books." That is a hard copy type of book that I would have a hard time letting go as a bibliophile.

I have noticed that B&N sells a lot of non-book gift-type of items and some pop culture collectibles. Maybe the markup on that stuff helps their bottom line sales. I think long-term, the remaining large box book retailer will probably go out of business. There are small independent book stores here and there in metro Atlanta, but it's too difficult for them to make any decent profit due to changes in technology.