The Demise of Barnes and Noble (shops, best, coffee, selling)
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Barnes and Noble used to be awesome. However, it's not so much any more. There are two reasons I say this:
1) The removal of the comfy armchairs. Back in the day, B&N used to have 6 comfortable chairs in its Duluth location, both in prime locations: three by the travel guides and computer books and three near the Social Science section. Then they got rid of the two. Then they got rid of another, re-arranged the store, and moved the ones by the former social science book section to the magazine section, which faces the mall entrance and cafe, exposing it to noise. Then they scrapped the chairs by the travel books, and a week ago, they got rid of ALL of the comfortable chairs!
Sure, the comfortable chairs attracted browsers and "freeloaders" who didn't buy anything. But they also attracted people like me, who made a habit of going to the store once or twice a week, getting a frappuccino and sandwich ($9.00 a pop), and even buying a book once in a while - putting them ahead as far as I am concerned.
2) Worse selection / lower quality of books - Back in the day, the books in the social science section - one of my favorites - were actually relevant to the social sciences. Some genius, however, a few years ago decided that people really want to buy tattoo and drug-related books, and that the best place to put them would be...the social sciences section!
They also seem to have reduced their selection somewhat.
Has anybody seen similar effects in the Barnes and Noble or other chain (or independent) book stores in their town?
Right on there. And having less staff. I do think having a computer available to patrons would be a plus, so if the book was not available, I could have it shipped to me.
I go in their stores now, and feel like the quality has really gone down. I don't even bother to go to the one I lived by, because I knew they did not carry the books I wanted, and I spend around $5000 or $6000 a year on books. Probably more. I don't even bother with their website any longer, because it is diffcult to find the books I want. At Amazon I don't have to specify "textbook" I just search under keyword. They could learn a lot from Amazon.
Personally, I never cared for the big chairs. Libraries don't even have them. I also don't like the idea of food and beverages being sold in a bookstore. I hated finding empty coffee cups, crumbs, and used napkins tucked away in the merchandise.
I also never got the idea of the tables. Students or whatever bringing in their books to do work? What's up with that? How could that possibly help the store?
My favorite bookstores were the large ones that didn't have these extras. B&N came in and that all seemed to change.
Sure, the comfortable chairs attracted browsers and "freeloaders" who didn't buy anything. But they also attracted people like me, who made a habit of going to the store once or twice a week, getting a frappuccino and sandwich ($9.00 a pop), and even buying a book once in a while - putting them ahead as far as I am concerned.
You do understand that the frappacino/sandwich isn't what B&N is selling right? That $9 most likely went to Starbucks. The book you "even" bought "once in awhile" is what B&N was selling.
You do understand that the frappacino/sandwich isn't what B&N is selling right? That $9 most likely went to Starbucks. The book you "even" bought "once in awhile" is what B&N was selling.
$9 went to Starbucks yeah but Starbucks isn't paired inside B&N's store for free.
$9 went to Starbucks yeah but Starbucks isn't paired inside B&N's store for free.
Of course not but the fact remains, they are booksellers first and foremost. People buying a book occasionally as an afterthought to daily coffee and sandwich is not going to keep them in business. People buying coffee while shopping for and actually purchasing books is what keeps the bookseller in business.
Actually, the $9 DOES go to Barnes and Noble. They merely sell Starbucks coffee. That's why a Starbucks gift card will not work there.
In some countries - Italy and France for example - you must buy the book before even looking in it. I know what I do NOT want B & N to turn into, and that is a chain like "Casa del Libro" in Spain. In "Casa" book stores, there is almost no place to sit and no cafe. Sitting down in a plush armchair with a stack of books that you have not bought, a faux-gourmet sandwich and soup combo, and a wonderful Vanilla Bean Frappuccino is a quintessentially American experience.
Of course not but the fact remains, they are booksellers first and foremost. People buying a book occasionally as an afterthought to daily coffee and sandwich is not going to keep them in business. People buying coffee while shopping for and actually purchasing books is what keeps the bookseller in business.
most Starbucks are franchised and it's likely Barnes and Noble owns those coffee shops.
The closest decent Barnes and Noble is in a mall some30mins from us. We visit that area at least once, maybe twice a month. I like their cafe area and that you can get a stuffed pretzel. They sell more than books. There's magazines, cds/dvds, calendars [albeit once a year but don't always buy just for me], some reading electronic gadgets, puzzles and items for ipods, ie - earphones. The cafe area has the wooden tables and chairs but there are a few upholstered chairs scattered throughout. Nice place.
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