Not about SC's but about the mall they shop at.

[Mr Hero]

I still blame customers for this sighting.

I was out and about yesterday in search of book 2 of the Harry Potter saga. I wanted to reread the series but my sister has had my copy for years. Rebuying the book just seemed easier.

I stopped at the mall since it had the closest bookstore to my house. In fact there were 2. Problem is that it had been since at least my high school days since I've been to that mall.

According to the directory, neither one is no longer there. I asked a mall security guard I happened to pass if there was a bookstore in the mall.

This says a lot for how much the target demographic has changed. A mall where two bookstores thrived now sees them as unprofitable. I wept for humanity that day.

[mikoyan29]

Amazon has cut into alot of bookstores. Our local owned National chain is going through some financial troubles (starts with a B but is not royalty). The mall bookstores are next to useless compared to the big box bookstores.

[wagegoth]

There's a Borders half a block from my job, so I go there a lot, even if it's just for a peach Fruitkula. Yum. I've noticed that the number of coupons I get in my Rewards email has really gone up. Also, they keep putting more and more items on clearance.

I used to patronize a local independent bookstore for years, but I would only deal with the main clerk, who really ran the store. The owner is a grumpy dick. Completely unhelpful unless you asked about something he was personally interested in. He's there every frickin' day, the main reason being it's next to a wine bar, and he slips over there several times a day. He doesn't need the money as his son has done extremely well in a start-up and pays his dad for "consulting," as it's the only way his father will take money from him. The main clerk is awesome, and she really wanted to take over the store, but he just won't give it up, even when he almost died a couple of years ago. Since the main clerk works Monday through Friday and so do I now, I just don't even bother going in anymore.

[LillFilly]

Hee, that could have been my mall.

A lot of Customers say they would like a bookstore, as the only ones are across town. But the Borders and Barnes & Nobles like to build their own stand-alone stores, so are not interested in space in our mall. Not to mention ours was like a Waldenbooks that was bought by Borders and closed or something. Store hasn't been there for a half-dozen years, and yeah, people are surprised to find it's gone.

[Dreamstalker]

A lot of the indie bookstores around here have frequent buyer clubs (buy $100 in a year and get 10% off your next purchase); the one I used to work at did way back when, but not anymore. I think it would be a good deal for them as now they're the only one in town (the big green chain bookstore that was here shut down before Christmas last year).

I'm noticing a lot more coupons from Borders as well. I wish they'd decide to hire me...

[mariamousie1]

Wow, how can a mall not have a bookstore? Every mall in my town has a bookstore, even the one downtown that gets terrible business and just about every store has gone under, but it has a bookstore and a library! Weird.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Wow, how can a mall not have a bookstore?

Very easily. The mall I go to had a Waldenbooks, but it closed down recently.

I never bothered with them much anyway. The Barnes and Noble across the way has better selection, plus a Half Price Books opened up not too far away from that.

[Andara Bledin]

The Cerritos Mall doesn't have a bookstore. It's actually kind of an odd mall, too; I don't like shopping there at all.

The Waldenbooks at Lakewood turned into a Borders Express some time back, but their selection, since they're pretty tiny, is crap. If it's not a best-seller or the most recent book in a series, they probably won't have it. Although you can special order pretty much anything in print for no extra charge. I much prefer to drive the several miles to get to the full-sized Borders.

^-.-^

[Thuringwethyl]

The Cerritos Mall doesn't have a bookstore. It's actually kind of an odd mall, too; I don't like shopping there at all.

The Waldenbooks at Lakewood turned into a Borders Express some time back, but their selection, since they're pretty tiny, is crap. If it's not a best-seller or the most recent book in a series, they probably won't have it. Although you can special order pretty much anything in print for no extra charge. I much prefer to drive the several miles to get to the full-sized Borders.

^-.-^

That's right by me! The Cerritos Mall used to have a bookstore but the mall refused to renew its lease: apparently a baby clothes store was deemed more profitable by The Powers That Be.

[Andara Bledin]

Howdy, neighbor!

^-.-^

[ralerin]

My local mall hasn't had a bookstore in over...5 years, not since Old Navy came in. =/

Barnes and Nobles is right across the street but still, I miss the convenience of a bookstore in the mall.

[optimus major]

yea malls suck these days.....use to there was a lot of fun stuff in the mall, now all the good toy stores, book stores, and all the fun things are gone, except for the gamestop that seems to be in every mall lol and they still never have the old game you are looking for ugh now it is all overpriced clothes ugh no fun

[Ironclad Alibi]

One thing that is improving about malls is the Lego Group is opening Lego stores in more malls. Their web site list 14 new stores, two of which are nearby in Maryland (Although I have two closer Lego stores in Virginia). Of course, if you're not a Lego fan...

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Very easily. The mall I go to had a Waldenbooks, but it closed down recently.

The mall that used to be near me when I was growing up had both a Waldenbooks and a Will's (regional chain that sold stationery and books.)

Both have since been long gone (early 90's) and the mall was torn down a few years ago. Nearest B&N is halfway across town from me and I've been in there once, but they only carry the more recent books.

We also have an Edward McKay store (they offer used books/CD's/games) but even that one takes almost as long to get to as it does B&N. There's not much in the way of stores other than WM and some specialty stores close to me.

Meaning if I want some of the older books in the Alex Cross series (as an example,) I'll have to shop online through Amazon.

[Andara Bledin]

Meaning if I want some of the older books in the Alex Cross series (as an example,) I'll have to shop online through Amazon.

Will the B&N not order them for you?

I know the crappy Borders Express in the mall is always happy to offer to special order any book anyone wants for no charge beyond the price of the book.

^-.-^