Except it's not just about buying the books. It's about browsing the aisles and sneaking a peek at what other people are looking at. It's about meeting in the town square.
I realize that amazon, et al have tried hard to replicate this ability, but it's about PLACE. Check out Celebrating the Third Place by Ray Oldenburg (ISBN 1569246122) or The Great Good Place by the same author (ISBN 1569246815). As much as I LOVE the internet, not everything translates to the silicon world. Chris Rybisky Cathedral Hill --- Dennis Tester <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > "I hate to sound too jaded," > > Ah, Chris. I hate to sound even more jaded, but > when Amazon.com came online > it was just a matter of time before the brick and > mortars went bye bye. I > wonder if anyone knows what Amazon's market share > is? Whatever it is, I'll > bet it's growing and it'll be too much for the mom > and pops to overcome. > > > Dennis Tester > Mac-Groveland > > > > Cleverly Arranging 1's And 0's Since 11110110000 > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Chris Rybisky" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2005 3:36 PM > Subject: Re: [StPaul] Demise of Bound To Be Read > > > > > > I hate to sound too jaded, but BTBR (Bound to be > Read) > > has never sat well with me. I can't help but feel > kind > > of glad they are leaving. > > > > I miss (more than words can describe) Odegaard, > but > > BTBR was just a pretender. It billed itself as an > > independent, yet was Hubbard Broadcasting's > attempt at > > a book chain - they do have other BTBRs, but not > in > > this market. Thank God the Red Balloon survived > its > > onslaught. > > > > The area does need (and can support) another > general > > bookstore, but let's build it from the ground up - > and > > keep in mind that books aren't about turning a > profit. > > I would like to see a co-op based bookstore sprout > up. > > > > Barnes and Noble and Borders Group have spent the > last > > few decades trying desparately to turn a profit > from > > bookstores, but they don't get it. You don't use > > salesmen and incentive programs to sell books. > It's > > about reflection and interaction - personal > reflection > > and community interaction. > > > > Hubbard knew less about books than B&N and > Borders. > > Books are not commodities - they are art (or > should > > be). You can't sell a book like it is just another > > widget. > > > > I've been in the retail book business for the past > ten > > years - it's just amazing how clueless these > corporate > > endevours can be. Hopefully, we'll see a new truly > > Independent crop up soon, but in the meantime the > > nearest place to breathe things in must be the > Central > > Library - hey...maybe a small public library > branch on > > Grand! Yeah, they're flush with funds ;). > > > > Ah well...perchance to dream... > > > > Chris Rybisky > > Cathedral Hill > > > > --- Jon Gorder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> > >> The second to last of my favorite book stores > is > >> about to be shuttered (Birchbark Books is kept > alive > >> by owner Louise Erdrich's personal wealth). I > wonder > >> if there is anything that can still be done in > order > >> to forestall the closing of this beautiful store. > >> Maybe if everyone on this list tells five friends > to > >> go and buy a book from Bound To Be Read we can > >> encourage the owners to keep on trying. > >> > >> > >> > __________________________________________________ > >> Do You Yahoo!? > >> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam > >> protection around > >> http://mail.yahoo.com > >> ------------------------------------------------- > >> JOIN the St. Paul Issues Forum TODAY: > >> http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/ > >> ------------------------------------------------- > >> POST MESSAGES HERE: [email protected] > >> > >> To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your > >> password - visit: > >> http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul > >> > >> Archive Address: > >> http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ > >> > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam > protection around > > http://mail.yahoo.com > > ------------------------------------------------- > > JOIN the St. Paul Issues Forum TODAY: > > http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/ > > ------------------------------------------------- > > POST MESSAGES HERE: [email protected] > > > > To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your > password - visit: > > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul > > > > Archive Address: > > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ > > > > > > -- > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > > Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.10.4 - > Release Date: 4/27/2005 > > > > > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! 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