BAM

At the start of December, I shared my excitement that a BAM was moving into the large store standing empty after the demise of Borders. I spent so many hours in Borders, writing in the cafe, browsing through magazines and enjoying ice coffee.  Even after I owned an eReader, I would purchase some books and carry a stack to the cafe where I would peruse the first chapters to decide if I wanted it as an ebook.

The first time I visited BAM, they had hurried their opening to attract customers on Black Friday. It was a mess and the cafe wasn't open.  Books were stacked sideways on the shelf and often in the wrong genre sections.  I reserved my judgement.  The second time I went in, the shelves were better organized though not very full.  I couldn't find a single book on my list of 'want to read.'  The worker in the cafe didn't understand how to make an ice coffee and called a manager.  I eventually asked for just an ice tea but they didn't have any.  Settled for a bottled juice.  I still didn't write them off. 

I went in before Christmas to get a requested book for my daughter.  Finally found someone to help me.  It was a new release by a successful author.  They had two copies on the shelf and none on the new release tables up front.  Okay.  My dear husband bought me a BAM gift card for Christmas so I spend a few hours in there yesterday.  I'm still disappointed at the number of books on their shelves. (They don't even have mine! LOL)  They have large, messy tables of clearance books that remind me of Sam's Club.  I walked around most of the storm to find an employee to ask a question about their calendars. 

My daughter and I spent an hour or so in the cafe while she decided which book to buy with a rare 50% off coupon.  We didn't buy a drink from the limited menu.  We went to Starbucks after ward for our favorites.  The cafe has too few tables, giving it a cold, empty feel.  And it is empty compared to how it was when Borders ran it.  And so was the parking lot, relatively speaking.  Borders at Christmas time was packed with the checkout line snaking to the back of the store. I usually had to park at the very end of the big lot.  Not the same for BAM.

I want to have a local bookstore, but I'm not a fan of BAM.  I'll still go on occasion, but it won't be a can't miss destination for me.  And as with my last post, I wonder if it can survive.  The service and atmosphere provided by BAM isn't comparable to B&N or the now-gone Borders.  Will they last? I'm not going to hold onto my gift card for long, in case I don't get to use it.

Some of you lovely readers shared your opinions on BAM when I first mentioned they were moving into my neighborhood.  I know BAM has taken over more Borders than just my own.  Any thoughts on your new stores? I already know L. Diane Wolfe's.  She's a smart lady and I'm starting to agree with her.

A Lesson Perhaps?

My daughter and I went to the movies together, the first time I've been to the theater in a while.  Though I like the movie, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, I remembered all the reasons I haven't indulged in a visit to land of the big screen for a while.

Even though we went to a matinee showing, the price for the two of us was still three times what we would have to pay on demand.  We skipped over the food stand, not only because the selections are so unhealthy, but because the prices of the fatty, sugary, salty snacks, are ridiculous.  The theater itself was uncomfortably cool requiring us to keep our jackets on and despite the stadium seating, a few people managed to walk in front of us during the movie.  The two couples sitting behind us talked through all the previews and the lady directly behind bumped my seat dozens of times during the show.  And did I mention, we sat through nearly twenty minutes of commercials mixed in with the previews.  The movies was supposed to begin at 3:10 and didn't start until 3:33 Though the seats weren't uncomfortable, they weren't my recliner either.  Then when the movie was over, I had to go out in the cold rain and drive home.

I've read numerous reports in the paper and online about the declining revenues at the movie theater. I wonder why?  Why should I pay the price to watch a movie I can get so much cheaper ondemand in a few months? Why should I waste money on horrible snacks when I can eat healthy in my own home and perhaps even indulge in a glass of wine during a movie? Why put up with rude strangers when I can watch a movie alone or with my family? Why drive out in the bad weather when I can set a blaze in the fireplace and wear my slippers?  Except for a screen bigger than my TV, what does the theater experience offer me? Nothing. 

There are still some movies I like to experience in a theater or that I just can't wait to see, but my movie going days are becoming fewer and further between.  I think the book industry needs to take a lesson from the slowly dying theater world.  What can physical book stores do to draw people in their doors?  Over priced coffee? Probably not.  Most people won't go in a bookstore just for the coffee when there's likely a Starbucks within a few blocks. Discounted products?  Borders offered some good coupons but BAM and B&N are less generous.  If their product isn't cheaper than ebooks or getting it from Amazon, why will people shop there?  If there are no workers to help me find things in the store, I may as well stay home and investigate it online myself. 

I've been reading lots of blogs in the last few days and smiling at the rave reviews by new owners of eReaders, tablets and the like.  The numbers show digital books sales are sky-rocketing. I love shopping for my books with a click here and there.  What are brick and mortar stores doing to make my experience there better than shopping while sitting at home? I don't have the answers but I wonder where booksellers will be in two or three years. 

Have you been to the theater lately? Do you shop at bookstores as often as you have in the past? Do you think either of those business will still be there in five years? Ten years?

That's Odd

I have to share some weird things I've seen over the past week. If you've visited my blog over the course of the last few weeks, you've heard me bemoan the loss of our Borders.  Our store was a real revenue maker so it is staying open as they try to sell as much merchandise as they can before closing for good.  The workers in the store told me they would be receiving products from other stores that have already been closed. 

The book sections are really picked over and fantasy, mystery and the literature sections are still only 30% off but I still stop in when I'm near the store to see what might have been shipped in.  Borders has always had a great selection of journals and calendars.  I often browsed the game and jigsaw puzzle shelves though Borders' stock was a far second to B&N's.  One could always find some pens, gift bags, cups and a few other odds and ends that made cute gifts for the hard-to-buy-for relative. 

But today I went into Borders and saw things that made me laugh out loud. I can only guess these items were shipped in from other stores.  Stacks and stacks of bath towels, adult bundles and pink and blue infant sets.  Not far inside the door was a table full of gift sets of fragrances, male and female scents.  I couldn't quite believe it.  Was I seeing one of the reasons the business failed? Who buys towels at a bookstore? The aisles near the books were packed with people browsing but I didn't see a single person looking at the towels or colognes. 

I know some of you have witnessed the slow, ugly melting of their Borders.  Have you seen some odd things appearing as they shuffled merchandise from store to store?  What is the most out-of-place thing you've ever seen in any bookstore?