Borders Hilo Closing

[DaVinci]

KathyH: a 33 Faulkner is a precious thing.... I am envious! Much better than a cocktail napkin. Which Faulkner, if I might ask?

[DaVinci]

Faulkner was one of the heroes of my youth. As was Joyce. Ulysses changed my life, but Finnegan's Wake, aside from providing science with the word "quark" was, for me, a bridge too far.

[missydog1]

The Wake is an incredible work, but most people need an intro, and it's most fun when read aloud and in a group. I was blessed to work with the master and a fantastic group. It took us 9 years at one meeting a week, one page a session. The Wake is not an out there book any more than Lewis Carroll. Like all of Joyce, every word is carefully thought out, but it's multi-lingual.I would love to start a group here, put my decade of Joyce studies to use, but I don't think anyone's up for it.

I

[DaVinci]

That must have been a life changing experience. I don't think I could read the book without help like that, but I trust that it was eminently rewarding. It was Joyce, after all. And Joyce was a genius.

[missydog1]

Walgreens is coming, confirmed. I guess the guy who told me this three weeks ago knows of what he speaks. He's the same one who said that Barnes and Noble is sniffing around for a presence.
http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/articles...ocal02.txt

Borders is down to 40% off now on everything. The good CD's are flying out the door, but there's still a decent amount of books. Signs say they will not reduce lower than 40%; unsold will go back to publisher, this for books, CD's, DVD's.

The "bargain books" are down to 50%.
There aren't very many chairs left, but the cafe is still open for now.

[TheodoreJay]

Borders has basically made a decision based on rent costs (nothing that disses the customers). Since the margin on new book sales is so tight the decision was a no brainer. The same thing is happening all over the land. The Blockbuster across from my house just bailed in a nice neighborhood. On line sales like Amazon and Netflicks, etc. will make the brick and mortar store a dinosaur. I've been shopping for a particular movie on Amazon and its a third of the cost new of the used dvd store down the road. Everyone should just get used to it :/

[missydog1]

It's not about where to buy books, exactly. It's the need for a coffee shop and wi-fi place. The two Starbucks are already full most of the time. It was also a nice place to take little children and spend some time reading to them around other kids. Amazon doesn't replace that. I disagree about the books though. I'm not one of those people who buys bestsellers. I tend to happen on books and if they speak to me, I buy them. I probably won't be buying books now. I don't NEED books, so unless one seduces me (for which I need to see and touch the book) or I am pursuing some research, I won't be on Amazon looking around.

I do use Netflix for movies, 100%.

About the rent costs -- this is DHHL getting greedy, doing major hikes, and driving out established businesses (Island Naturals was the first victim), so thumbs down to their behavior.

[SandyS]

Too bad the local libraries don't serve coffee []