Bye-bye, Borders

It's been a few years since I've been able to walk into a store and rent a DVD. I really hope that I'm not soon saying the same thing about my ability to buy a book.

Perhaps my suggestion is pessimistic. However, apparently I will not be buying that book at Borders.

Last week, Borders filed for bankruptcy and announced it would be closing a third of its stores. It seemed I has just heard this from NPR when I was suddenly getting e-mail inviting me to a closing sale for the Borders location on Boylston Street.

I went by earlier today and was sad to see the shelves ravaged and bright red and yellow signs screaming "Everything must go!"

The scene reminded me of the closing a few years ago, and just a few blocks away, at the Avenue Victor Hugo bookstore. I picked up several things at that sale. The sad thing about the Borders sale was that even with the current discounts, the books I priced can still be had cheaper on Amazon, some in newer editions.

Poor lost bookstore. This particular store hasn't even been there that long. I remember when it opened, probably about five years ago. I liked it because on Sundays it stayed open fairly late (10 p.m.), two hours later than the new(ish) Barnes & Noble at the Pru. (The B&N had initially advertised it would stay open until 11 p.m. daily, but it abandoned those lofty goals shortly after the store opened, as I learned while trying unsuccessfully to get a Harry Potter fix once on a Sunday night.)

As for this latest loss, the pain won't truly set in until we see what retail gem Borders is replaced with. Pray for an Au Bon Pain.