# Why did you stop going to Barnes and Nobles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676 "2010-08-18T22:29:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/21 "2010-08-18T23:43:06Z")
When my bank card got declined because of a bank snafu and they accused me of stealing and brought the cops. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/22 "2010-08-18T23:45:27Z")
Crap, B&N is in a really good location here and makes for a more pleasant mall experience and always was doing very brisk business, never dead. Now where am I gonna hang out when I go to the mall? Without B&N it’s possible the mall won’t even be worth going to. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/23 "2010-08-19T00:03:05Z")
When I got an iPad. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/24 "2010-08-19T00:09:20Z")
The nearest one is nearly an hour’s drive from me. However, the last time I was there it was poorly stocked and poorly laid out. I got to Borders instead. (Whose stock has also diminished.) ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/25 "2010-08-19T00:29:25Z")
> [@Lethal\_Babydoll](#): > > The state of Georgia set up an online system where you could search for a book from almost any library in the state and have the book sent to your home library within a few days, sometimes the next day. > > stop buying books right about then The whole state? I use The Fulton County Library system a couple times per week, but I had no idea there was a statewide system. How do I access it? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/26 "2010-08-19T00:33:42Z")
Bummer – and The Littlest Briston is going to be crushed. Our B&N is in the main shopping center in the middle of town, and we stop in there once a week or so. They have a big wooden train play area set up, and she loves spending time there while I page through some books. Hmmm…I’m guess that us spending an hour or two each week in there while rarely buying anything didn’t help their situation much. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/27 "2010-08-19T01:30:44Z")
I got in the habit of going to Borders rather than B&N, because Borders carried CDs, and let you listen to more than a 30-second snippet of each song so you could make up your mind whether you liked the album. And they had great picks in the World Music section - I loved to browse there. Now Borders doesn’t carry much of anything music-wise beyond Top 40 anymore, but then I hardly buy books these days anyway (except cookbooks, for which selection is about equal). ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/28 "2010-08-19T01:58:10Z")
If I’m gonna spend the money for a new book at list price, I wanna support the indies. Which have largely died out in the San Fernando Valley, except for a great used store - Iliad books. (And whaddya know, they’ve recently expanded). If I can’t find it at Iliad, I order it from [Half.com](http://Half.com) or track it down on [bookfinder.com](http://bookfinder.com). ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/29 "2010-08-19T02:01:12Z")
The one I go to is always packed. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/30 "2010-08-19T02:06:19Z")
B&N is the only place to buy books for me within a close distance, but I’d go there and be disappointed in their stock. I still go there if I want a book NOW but now that I have a free year of Amazon Prime, if I can wait a couple days I can get like any book ever and pay $5 less than B&N. If ours closes I do hope that Borders will snag the spot though. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/31 "2010-08-19T02:15:54Z")
The Google ad I see at the bottom of this thread is for Barnes & Noble. 😛 I don’t go there very often, but the one nearest me is usually pretty packed when I do. But, yeah, Amazon and Half-Price Books are more likely to get my business. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/32 "2010-08-19T02:18:37Z")
I stopped going because I prefer the more intimate setting and knowledgeable, courteous service that my local downtown booksellers provide. \ . . . \ . . . cannot help it… hahahahhahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahhahaha 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/33 "2010-08-19T02:19:26Z")
Maybe I read it too quickly, but I didn’t see anything in that article about B&N shutting down. Sure, they’re selling themselves, and that implies that the business is not in great shape, but it doesn’t mean that they’re closing up, either. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/34 "2010-08-19T02:23:33Z")
When I moved to an area that they weren’t in. Borders is here, though. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/35 "2010-08-19T02:45:27Z")
1. Amazon 2. As others have mentioned, their lack of individual computers to search their in-store inventory. It’s a small point, but it meant that I’d always choose Borders if given the option. 3. The library. Geez, though…it’s still pretty sad! And can the state of publishing get any _worse_? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/36 "2010-08-19T02:46:45Z")
I buy all my books from my local used book store (Recycle Books) , Amazon or occ eBay. On the rare occ I need to go to a B&M store, I go to Borders. ---
**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:** [August 19, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/37 "2010-08-19T02:53:57Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > Maybe I read it too quickly, but I didn’t see anything in that article about B&N shutting down. Sure, they’re selling themselves, and that implies that the business is not in great shape, but it doesn’t mean that they’re closing up, either. This. Borders is the one that is and has been next to death. I’m amazed it’s still open at all. Personnel cuts have been huge. Its stock price is $1.27, down from $4.00 a year ago. It’s in zombie mode. Books-a-Million went from about $15 to $6. It had been very healthy. B&N is much to the seventy-third power better off. It will benefit from Border’s closing. It’s stock has only dropped from $20.00 to $16.00. It’s healthier and far more dominant than any of its direct competitors. Far more likely than its getting sold off is having it taken private by Leonard Riggio, who’s been the power there for decades. He’ll keep it going for as long as he lives, the way Hefner won’t let Playboy go. Remember that the predictions about the death of bookstores are being brought to you by the very same people who said that the iPad was going to kill the Kindle, which has had its best period ever. They slaver over electronics and know nothing about book buyers. Pay no attention to the man behind the electric curtain. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/38 "2010-08-19T02:59:36Z")
Because we have [Bookmans](http://www.bookmans.com/). I’ll never buy new again. Or at least, as long as I live here. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/39 "2010-08-19T03:37:41Z")
Amazon was strike one. Far, far wider selection and the prices were better. The Kindle was strike two. I don’t buy many physical books anymore. Nothing seems wrong with the Nook other than that it was months LTTP for me and I’m not going to drop my Kindle for it. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676/40 "2010-08-19T03:43:18Z")
Borders has better discounts and Amazon has better prices. Plus the New York Public Library is huge. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-stop-going-to-barnes-and-nobles/550676.md?page=3)