B. Dalton, the bookstore mentioned in the original post regarding this topic, was originally owned by the Dayton Hudson corporation. I believe Dayton�s sold the B. Dalton chain in the 1980s. It may have �owned itself� for several years, but is now part of Barnes & Noble, just as the other mall small-bookstore chain, Waldenbooks, is owned by Borders.
As an �old English major,� avid reader, and longtime chain-bookstore boycotter, I could probably write volumes on this issue. (Knowing this, I�ll try to stop at the length of an essay question rather than a dissertation.) In an earlier posting I mentioned some of the benefits of patronizing independent businesses: product diversity, preservation of local economies, and support for the existence of a middle class rather than an ever-increasing wealth/poverty gap. In addition to these, in bookselling there is another important issue. In the mid-1990s, as Barnes & Noble and Borders continued their blitzkrieg by alluring customers with (eventually disappearing) discounts, I realized that if the bookstore chains eliminated enough competition, they would be in a position to practice censorship. (Wal-Mart already does this with music, selling only censored versions of some CDs.) In a worst-case scenario, imagine what would happen if controlling interest in nationwide bookstore chains was acquired by the �religious� right. Although this has not occurred, sometimes publishers will be reluctant to publish a book unless the chains believe it has mass-market appeal. Minneapolis has several good independent �new� bookstores: other contributors have mentioned the �original� Amazon Bookstore, Birchbark Books, and Orr Books. Although I shop at all these stores, they are somewhat specialized; aside from the University of Minnesota bookstore recently relocated to the renovated Coffman Union, Minneapolis does not have a mainstream independent bookstore. St. Paul�s Ruminator Books operated a limited branch in the Open Book Center on Washington Avenue until last winter. Its location apparently never provided enough pedestrian traffic for it to succeed, but in the few years it was open, its small but well-chosen selection was the right size for browsing. Children�s books: so far no one has mentioned Wild Rumpus in Linden Hills, which probably has the most unusual children�s selection in the Twin Cities. The Red Balloon Bookshop on Grand Avenue in St. Paul is another area children�s bookstore; I recommend its poetry section. Both Wild Rumpus and The Red Balloon sell children�s books in languages other than English. Used books: Fortunately there are many options and many favorites (one of mine is Midway Books at University and Snelling in St. Paul). According to one of my relatives, Duluth is another used-book haven. To obtain a directory of local and national independent booksellers, go to www.bookweb.org. Roberta M. Beach Minneapolis Ward 7, Precinct 5 TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
