Posted on 01/28/2013 11:51:11 AM PST by jimbo123
Barnes & Noble will shut up to a third of its brick-and-mortar bookstores over the next decade as reading habits change and digital publications evolve, according to a new report.
The chain will end up with 450 to 500 stores in 10 years, down from the 689 physical stores it has now, according to Mitchell Klipper, chief executive of Barnes & Noble's retail group.
That evens out to about 20 stores shuttered yearly over the period, Klipper said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
That sucks
BTW am I only one does have Amazon kook or Barnes Noble digisal reader
I prefer old fashioned book
there not kneeded cause a lod of peopel can reed todey onywey.
I like books and I collect books. The problem with all brick and morter book chains is that they just don’t have the space to cater to every reader.
I get so frustrated at the lack of any male oriented books in the store I have to go to abe or amazon to order.
That’s true Perdogg
I do have Amazon account myself I bought this one skin cream that I used through Via Amazon that only thing I bought from Amazon
Yeah you are so right
189 fewer places to buy overpriced coffee and argue with Liberals...
Im a big periodicals guy, specifically scale modeling and military/aviation. Since I like to look at what’s in them before deciding on buying (rather than subscribing) a physical store is the only way to go.
B&N, along with Borders, really expanded the selection of magazines and pushed the little guy news stands out of business. Since Borders died and removed competition I’ve noticed that B&N is cutting back on it’s magazines in both variety and inventory. They’ll probably end up killing the store near me. Hopefully the Books a Million and last local hobby shop will pick up the slack.
Their basic problem is that they rent huge, expensive stores, then increase the prices of merchandise 40% or more of what it costs at Amazon. This is less about a changing market and more about bad business practices.
Their best bet would be to open their own publisher, then make exclusive deals with writers and editors, books only they sell in smaller stores that they own now. There are a huge number of writers out there who cannot now get published.
A big problem is that of having enough people to read manuscripts, and that should be part of the publishing agreement, that once an author is published, he has to electronically edit three other manuscripts by other authors before he can publish again. To avoid theft, when a writer submits a manuscript, it is kept on file for when next the editor publishes, to detect any plagiarism.
I don’t have a digital reader. I prefer books, too. Occasionally, I would like to have a reader to quickly find a quote, but that’s about it.
The real problem is one of socialism. Government-run, taxpayer-supported public libraries prevent private business from operating bookstores and newsstands at a profit. A subsidized industry has a built-in advantage over entrepreneurship every time.
Ben Franklin's original lending library was a private enterprise with volunteers exchanging reading matter. It wasn't a state-run outfit like the public libraries of today. Moreover, public libraries are hangouts for stinking third-world types and the homeless. It's not a realistic scenario but I'd really like to see the government get out of the book and periodical business, thus allowing free enterprise to flourish in that sector.
Me too.
Interesting observation about the magazines. Years ago when the B&N opened in Carle Place they had a great mag selection, much better than the Borders in nearby Westbury. Lately the numbers of mags are the same but fewer titles in the History and Aviation and Transportation sections. Though they still have a large collection of Gun titles. I actually own two Nooks a new HD+ and a e print reader for the beach and pool. But I like a good book to hold as well. I do hope the Carle Place store stays around.
That’s what I was thinking. I really enjoy getting a cup of coffee and sitting down to read a couple magazines. I hope the one near me stays open.
This is bad news. If the Barnes and Noble stores near me close, the nearest store where I can buy new books will be more than 30 miles away—and I live in a large metropolitan area.
I much prefer reading real books to reading screens, which hurt my eyes after a while.
Overy optimistic on BN’s part. I call 100% of BN stores to close in 5 years. It’s a dead business model like record stores. Amazon has superior prices, quick delivery and access to out-of-print books (via marketplace) that you’d spend a lifetime searching for in brick and mortar locations.
I just bought a rare title that retails for $100 elsewhere for just $15 on Amazon marketplace.
Me too. That's why I hate Barnes and Noble, who have turned into a giant coffee shop/DVD/stationary store.
Look in your local Yellow Pages for "Used Book Stores" and give them your patronage -- they need it and you'll find tons of great books to read.
I keep buying at my local B&N store to help keep it open but I know it’s a losing cause. When it opened it seemed too good to be true. And now it is.
You’re not the only one. I like a book that I can prop on my lap or a pillow or wherever....not a piece of plastic I have to hold in my hand.
There ARE huge numbers of people out there who can't get published. As one of them, I assure you it's because most of them haven't written anything worth reading. Go check out the self published category on Amazon, read a few of the 99 cent books there. Shudder.
A big problem is that of having enough people to read manuscripts, and that should be part of the publishing agreement, that once an author is published, he has to electronically edit three other manuscripts by other authors before he can publish again. To avoid theft, when a writer submits a manuscript, it is kept on file for when next the editor publishes, to detect any plagiarism.
This is... well. The skillset to be a good writer is entirely different from the skillset to be a good editor. The best editors I've seen admit they can't write. The best writers don't have an editor's insight into how to spot a character issue or rework a dangling plotline.
And you've somewhat confused the slush pile and the editing process. The "slush pile" is the colloquial term for "giant mass of manuscripts hopeful writers send to a publisher". Theoretically, the publisher reads through them and pulls out what doesn't suck. Realistically these days, a writer submits to agents, not publishers, and the agents go directly to editors.
Regardless, most of what you'd get submitted would be utterly unreadable. Everyone thinks he can write a book. Most folks don't bother to do the work that's actually required.
Meh, no tears here...
Though not the place’s fault, I happened to be in a B&N a few weeks before the 2008 election in Hampton, VA and was there long enough to witness the “fueling” with coffee and pastries of a group of Acorn workers, proudly displaying their credentials for all to see, getting ready to hit the streets.
Glared at them as they all made their way out the door...
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