# Is Borders about to go under? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 4, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387 "2011-01-04T16:46:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/301 "2011-07-24T00:13:29Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > The same thing happened when my local Borders liquidated a few months ago: endless lines to pay more than Amazon charges. I went to our local Borders today, suckered in by the large-font “40% off”, and was amazed to see a line of 20+ at the register waiting to pay, as you said, more than Amazon price. All I could figure out was that they were trying to burn up gift cards. > [@](#): > > You just have to wait a couple weeks; they’ll go to 30%, 40%, and eventually even 70% off. But annoyingly, every section is a different percentage off. Okay, well that’s good to know. We liked Borders in concept, but my kids could never find the books they wanted there…so in practice it was lacking. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/302 "2011-07-24T00:15:18Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > With the demise of the other Borders on Boylston, this leaves (aside from college bookstores and a few used bookstores) only the Barnes and Noble at Prudential Center and Trident Bookstore Cafe on Nwewbury open. In _Boston_, fer cryin’ out loud. Even the bookstore in the Galleria across the river in Cambridge will be closing, because it’s a Borders. All the independent bookstores in East Cambridge are gone now. You have to go to The Harvard Bookstore and The Coop in Harvard Sqyuare to get books. This, in the “Athens of America”. Don’t forget the Booksmith in Brookline, just a short C-line ride away. Of course, you have to ride the C line to get there. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/303 "2011-07-24T02:05:59Z")
There are other bookstores around in many places. We have Books-a-Million around here, and they seem pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/304 "2011-07-24T03:24:14Z")
The thing about Books-a-Million is that they are geographically restricted. They’re in fewer than half the states, mostly in the south. Even that makes them seem more far-flung than they are because the bulk of their stores are in only ten states. Most book buyers in the country have probably never set foot in one. That could change. They made [a bid for 30 Borders stores](http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/thirty-borders-locations-could-stay-open-under-a-books-a-million-bid/2011/07/22/gIQAza6UTI_story.html), almost all of them in areas they’ve never had a presence in. That’s seven new states right there. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/305 "2011-07-24T05:30:43Z")
> [@Arkcon](#): > > I bought the KOBO (that’s Borders’ brand of e-reader) from my local Borders when it was closing. The clearance price was $63 USD which is very cheap compared to others. It will read PDFs, even if the scrolling and text size is crappy, which is why I really got it. It comes with 100 Project Gutenberg favorites, some of which are so crappy that some people feel the need to delete them, but I liked at least a few. So I think the purchase was worth while. And the only cheaper e-reader would be an etch a sketch. 😉 Many thanks for the response. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/306 "2011-07-27T23:46:51Z")
Update: It is going down. [http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011/07/18/borders\_faces\_liquidation\_as\_it\_heads\_into\_bankruptcy\_auction\_.html](http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011/07/18/borders_faces_liquidation_as_it_heads_into_bankruptcy_auction_.html) > [@](#): > > Borders To Close For Good > Going-out-of-business sales may start as soon as Friday at chain’s 400 remaining stores. > [@](#): > > It’s official: Borders is a goner. > > The company scrapped plans for Tuesday’s bankruptcy-court auction after receiving no bids, the Wall Street Journal reports. > > The company now plans to ask a judge Thursday to sign off on a sale to liquidators. Assuming the deal is approved, Borders stores may begin their going-out-of-business sales as soon as Friday. > > The company expects to close its remaining 400 or so stores for good by the end of September. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/307 "2011-07-28T02:42:08Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Update: > > It is going down. > > [http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011/07/18/borders\_faces\_liquidation\_as\_it\_heads\_into\_bankruptcy\_auction\_.html](http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011/07/18/borders_faces_liquidation_as_it_heads_into_bankruptcy_auction_.html) ? That’s dated July 18. Today is July 27. The close-out sales started a week ago - as we discussed in this very thread. Wait. Are you on the Julian or Gregorian calendar? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/308 "2011-07-28T14:07:29Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > ? > > That’s dated July 18. Today is July 27. The close-out sales started a week ago - as we discussed in this very thread. > > Wait. Are you on the Julian or Gregorian calendar? Sorry about that, I’m currently outside the US and connections to the internet are spotty, In any case I thought it was odd that this thread got no bump last week. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/309 "2011-07-28T14:11:59Z")
It _did_ get bumped [last week](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14036282&postcount=267). ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/310 "2011-07-28T15:16:34Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > It _did_ get bumped [last week](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14036282&postcount=267). :smack: Ok, this time I did not pay attention, I completely missed the bump and the news until it was reported over here. Oh well, at least it is not as bad as thinking that Guinness beer was British. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/311 "2011-07-28T15:23:02Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > :smack: > > Ok, this time I did not pay attention, I completely missed the bump and the news until it was reported over here. > > Oh well, at least it is not as bad as thinking that Guinness beer was British. 🙂 Well, the company is headquartered in London, so there is some degree of Britishness to it. There was a Guinness brewery in England until a few years ago. Now, I believe, all the brewing is done in Dublin. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/312 "2011-07-30T23:09:22Z")
> **[The Idle State](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLI3DitkDk8F1QrLH84X4Zg/?webcomic_post=6-requiem)** > > A comedic look at news, politics, current events, and anything else out there people are bollocksing up. Inspired by Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Daily Show, and Late Night with Seth Meyers. > > Follow me on... ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/313 "2011-07-31T08:23:25Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > [http://theidlestate.com/?webcomic\_post=6-requiem](http://theidlestate.com/?webcomic_post=6-requiem) So true! I went to my Border’s liquidation sale this weekend and even at 20% off and some spare birthday cash I couldn’t bring myself to buy anything. ---
**Author:** ![mikeargo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@mikeargo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikeargo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/314 "2011-07-31T12:24:10Z")
I got a good deal on a board game, 20 percent off. With my remaining Borders Bucks and an additional 10 percent discount, it was almost half price. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/315 "2011-08-01T03:16:33Z")
> [@mikeargo](#): > > I got a good deal on a board game, 20 percent off. With my remaining Borders Bucks and an additional 10 percent discount, it was almost half price. I forgot about my Borders Bucks. What was the additional 10%? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/316 "2011-08-01T03:41:03Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > I forgot about my Borders Bucks. What was the additional 10%? Presumably a Borders Plus membership, which gives you an additional ten percent discount on most products. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/317 "2011-08-01T03:48:53Z")
Looking back at this thread, it appears my local Borders (which shut down in the first round of closings) started its liquidation sale on Feb. 19 and finally closed its doors on April 17. I wonder if the liquidation is going to go faster for these last stores instead of dragging on for two months. I dug two receipts from April out of my George Costanza wallet and saw that the lowest price that fiction books reached in the sale was 80% off. In fact, the price actually increased at one point–with four days to go before closing, any book in the store was $2.99, plus a buy 4 get 1 free promotion. The very next day, with three days till closing, it was back to 80% off. Weird. Any way, my receipt reads, “31 items - Total: $76.13 - You saved: $490.65” Beat that, Amazon! ---
**Author:** ![mikeargo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@mikeargo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikeargo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/318 "2011-08-01T21:57:15Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Presumably a Borders Plus membership, which gives you an additional ten percent discount on most products. Exactly. I paid $25 for membership back in December to get ten percent off most items. With my breakeven point at $250, I must be pretty close. I’ll have to stop in again before the doors finally shut. ---
**Author:** ![RachelChristine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@RachelChristine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RachelChristine)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/319 "2011-08-04T21:07:42Z")
Has anyone heard when they are finally closing? I’m trying to find that beautiful point between when there is still a good selection and when the deals are the best, but I don’t want to wait too long! ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387/320 "2011-08-04T23:42:52Z")
> [@RachelChristine](#): > > Has anyone heard when they are finally closing? I’m trying to find that beautiful point between when there is still a good selection and when the deals are the best, but I don’t want to wait too long! Just speaking from what happened in February, the selection goes before the prices come down below Amazon levels. I still found plenty of books I wanted to buy at 70% off, but I certainly couldn’t look for a specific book at that point. I’d say it depends on how catholic your tastes are. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-borders-about-to-go-under/566387.md?page=17)