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It is like losing a good friend.
In this case it is not a person that I am losing. Rather it is a part of my life that I have become very comfortable with.
Borders, my bookstore of choice, is closing. Not just the bookstore I visited every time I was in Madison, but all Borders stores are running going-out-of-business sales.
Borders was always there for me. I could spend time looking over new books for purchase or take advantage of closeouts and sales. When I was getting close to finishing one good book I could go there and find another. It was a good match.
Like many other businesses in this economy, there are questions about not only the present, but the future. Many feel the future of reading will revolve around ebooks which can be handled with an electronic reader.
Can't say I agree.
Borders will no longer be with us because of financial reasons and the fact that no viable purchaser was found for the business in its final hour. It didn't happen because the industry is turning its back on the printed word.
I stopped at a coffee shop after an out-of-town medical appointment recently because I had some time to kill between places I had to be. I purchased a cup of coffee and took it and the book I brought with me to a table. I noticed the person to my right was reading a paperback. Two people seated in chairs were also reading. One was about halfway through The Divinci Code. The other had a trio of newspapers he was reading. Two other tables had people who got together to share a cup of coffee or a coffee drink who were just talking. The person to my right was doing business on her laptop.
No ereaders were present.
I don't think people are ready to put down a good book in favor of something else just yet. I think the phrase reading a book "cover to cover" will still be with us.
That same day I received a phone call from a friend reminding me I had promised her a copy of a book I recommended to her. I have it with me for her to pick up.
All good news for books.
The bad news for Borders is that that company will no longer be with us very soon.
I will miss Borders and remember their stores fondly.
But I will find another book store to take its place.