Shortly after I purchased my Classic Nook eReader nearly a year ago, Barnes and Noble started a promotion that involved me taking the Nook to a brick-and-mortar B&N, showing it to a clerk and then I received a coupon for a free eBook. After I received my coupon, I browsed through the store downloading sample chapters to my eReader. As I prepared to leave the store I realized if I liked some of the books I'd sampled, I would download them directly. In that moment, it was crystal clear to me the brick-and-mortar bookstore is on the endangered list.
I love bookstores. When I feel blue, I go wander in a bookstore. There's something about books surrounding me that cheers me up. When I travel, I go out of my way to visit new bookstores. I almost always find new treasures. In Boulder, I found Barbara Kingsolver. In New Orleans I rediscovered my love for John Irving with A Prayer for Owen Meany. In Manhattan, I wandered down into the dusty depths of the Strand and found Christopher Moore. I have always returned from my travels with new books in hand. That is until last year when I started travelling with my eReader.
When I first arrived in this town, there were only local bookstores. In the late 1970s when a new mall opened, both a Waldens and a B. Daltons arrived. But I preferred the independent bookstore close to the University Campus. The independent bookstore was always filled with unusual books. The mall bookstores were filled with books that could be found anywhere. Then in the 1990s Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million and Media Play arrived. There were long debates in the editorial pages of the local newspaper about independent bookstores vs the large book chain. About the same time Amazon opened up online. Shortly after that my local library developed a website so their catalog could be accessed day or night and books reserved from at home. The last to arrive in my town was a Borders Bookstore.
Then the attrition started. First the outlying independent bookstores died. My favorite independent hung on. Then Media Play died. My favorite independent opened a satellite location with better parking. Last year my favorite independent bookseller closed. This year for the past few weeks I've been watching Borders die. It's close to me, so I've visited a few times. Each time it is more and more bare. It has become skin and bones without much life. It's no longer a place to go when I'm blue as it only makes me sadder.
Change is inevitable. I personally don't think that physical books will completely disappear. But bookstores will need to change to survive. A few weeks ago I read this article about publishers placing books in other types of retail locations. The article also mentions Barnes & Noble changing it's business model to devote more space to toys, games and eReaders. But each time I purchase a book electronically, I do feel a twinge that not only is less of my dollar staying locally but I'm hastening the death of the dedicated brick-and-mortar bookstore.
eReader News:
Apple has applied for a patent for a hybrid eInk screen. Is the eReading wars heating up between Apple and the eInk readers?
Free Kindles? This article says it may happen by November 2011.
How can bookstores embrace eReading and survive?
Do you have any tips or tricks to share?