The Book Castles Die...
It is heart-rending to see the demise of the once-great Border's Books. The company is closing 200 stores, has $1.29B in debt and $1.27B in assets. Border's always struck me as a more genteel, understated version of Barnes & Noble. The ambiance is muted, the interior decoration elegant but not bold and the coffee shop a milder Seattle's best vs. the hustle and bustle of a Starbuck's inside Barnes & Noble.
I felt more comfortable sitting at Barnes & Noble for many hours reading books on topics ranging from ancient history to comics, while exploring the recesses of my own mind during challenging periods every year. Border's was a place where I went in, bought something, and got out.
Perhaps Barnes was more welcoming and had a sense of openness to students and itinerants. But I do feel bad that the great book castles - places where one was able to relax, browse, even read entire books - with access to coffee and restrooms - are closing one by one. A sense of community existed among bibliophiles - people who love books - and a sense of shared nerdiness. Will it be replaced by groups of people reading Kindles, while sitting together in a common area? I wonder.
The library is dead, so is the book castle. What's next in the world of shared spaces for reading?
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