The brick and mortar bookstore is dead!

Rolling Thunder · May 1, 2007

Apparently, nobody told Barnes & Noble. They are breaking ground on a new 30,000 square foot store just outside Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It will be less than a 15 minute drive from my house and will make the nearby 10,000 square foot B&N on this side of the river look like a readers mini-mart.

Go ahead, feel the envy.

MidnightMuse · May 1, 2007

I would feel the envy, if B&N hadn't just recently finished building a brand new, twice-the-size-as-before store a mere 20 minutes from my house

Lots of big comfy chairs in this one, too.

Kate Thornton · May 1, 2007

Wow - they built a new one here, too - and it's close and has a little coffee bar thingy in it.

jchines · May 1, 2007

Oh yeah, well we've got ... um ... okay, I got nothing but bookstore envy.

Maryn · May 1, 2007

All the naysayers who predicted that Amazon and similar services were the death knell of brick-and-mortar stores didn't know doodly-squat, eh?

I don't buy a lot of books new, but I do browse and buy in a way that requires a physical store, no matter how many links and lists and also-boughts Amazon provides. The online seller is handy for the times I want something esoteric or out of print, but I still prefer visiting an actual store.

Maryn, who also loves independent booksellers

ccarver30 · May 1, 2007

Yeah, my B&N 8 mins from my house has a Starbucks in it. Ha ha!

MidnightMuse · May 1, 2007

I hear ya - I'm a huge fan of Amazon when it comes to searching for things, but mostly from them I buy DVDs and things. I'll search them, write down titles and authors, then go to B&N to buy them. Nothing beats grabbing a bunch, sitting down in an overstuffed chair and giving them all a good looksee before picking what to buy

sunna · May 1, 2007

My nearest B&N is 30 minutes away...I'm still waiting for them to realize how how wonderfully commercial my little corner of the map could be if given a chance. (ok, that's a lie...I like my trees where they are. but the Bookland down the road just sucks.)
I am pea green with envy.

stormie · May 1, 2007

The nearest B&N here is also about thirty minutes away. I could get lost for hours in there. I need to pick a book up in my hands, thumb through it, think about it. Many times I'll just wander around, and buy a book that I wouldn't normally buy. Envy? Oh yeah. Big time. I'd even go for a good smaller book store, but around here the last one moved out a year or so ago.

Rolling Thunder · May 1, 2007

It looks like a nice plan. They will have a Starbuck's Cafe and library seating. Plus, the Great Escape 14 screen theater is being built right next door and a few restaurants to boot. You walk into the 'town square' and choose what you want to do first; eat dinner, buy your movie ticket, and/or browse the bookstore. They plan to be open until midnight and project to draw 2 million people to the mall the first year.

I.Can't.Wait.

spike · May 1, 2007

Rllgthunder said:
It looks like a nice plan. They will have a Starbuck's Cafe and library seating. Plus, the Great Escape 14 screen theater is being built right next door and a few restaurants to boot. You walk into the 'town square' and choose what you want to do first; eat dinner, buy your movie ticket, and/or browse the bookstore. They plan to be open until midnight and project to draw 2 million people to the mall the first year.

I.Can't.Wait.

Sounds like what we have at the Promanade Shops at Saucon Valley I don't know how popular these "town square" things will be if we have a typical Pennsylvania winter (unlike this past winter). But it is beautiful.

And I have 3 Barnes and Nobels within 15 miles of my house.

The Grift · May 1, 2007

If the brick and mortar is dead, somebody tell me why there is ALWAYS a line at the local B&N and Borders...even with multiple cashiers.

I do worry for the smaller indy stores. I hope they're going to be okay.

tjwriter · May 1, 2007

And now I know how Carrie feels...

Rllg you make me sick. The nearest B&N is an hour away. For some awful reason, the Evansville planners think that all business needs to be on the Eastside, and I live west of the westside. Stupid Newburgh <mumble, grumble>

Where was I? Oh yes! Enjoy your pretty store, Rllg. I'll just sit at home and think lovingly on my quarterly visits.

Just Me · May 1, 2007

I'd be jealous, but I live in a busy college town. I already have two Borders, one huge Barnes and Noble and about half a dozen independent bookstores practically within spitting distance of me.

Jamesaritchie · May 1, 2007

Dead

Dead? Might as well be, as far as our local city council is concerned. We've had two chances to get a B&N, and they screwed it up both times.

So it's a thirty mile drive for me, as well.

Akuma · May 1, 2007

B&N is 20 minutes from where I am.

One visit usually takes all my money--most for the books, some for the gas needed by my weak-bladdered car.

tjwriter · May 1, 2007

Hmmm.

Does one know how to go about persuading B&N to contemplate a location? I'm pretty sure there's a good market if they put one with the westside shops. I know I'd be there all the time.

WildScribe · May 1, 2007

My B&N is about five minutes away, with lots of squishy chairs and a starbucks cafe thingy in it. I prefer amazon or indy sellers, honestly (some bad B&N experiences) but I DO love to browse, and will gladly spend hours wandering the store. And of course, I can't leave empty-handed!

RumpleTumbler · May 1, 2007

I only have 1,229 within a half hour drive from my apartment.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=books...US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl

ccarver30 · May 1, 2007

RumpleTumbler said:
I only have 1,229 within a half hour drive from my apartment.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=books...US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl

Goodness!!!!

stormie · May 1, 2007

RumpleTumbler said:
I only have 1,229 within a half hour drive from my apartment.

I'm envious.

Soccer Mom · May 1, 2007

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!

RT is gonna be broke in less than a month after the store opens. I oughta know. I live near both a Borders and a BN.

The brick and mortar bookstore is dead!

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