response 26 of 194:

Jan 10 19:20 UTC 2001

Isn't that interesting?  I was just about to say the opposite: that for all
I find Borders annoying, it's still ten times better than the other bookstore
chains.  De gustibus etc. etc.

response 28 of 194:

Jan 10 22:47 UTC 2001

Borders is one of two stores (the other being the Main St. discount book
store) that is open later than the library, which we appreciate on our nights
out and about.  

response 30 of 194:

Jan 11 01:17 UTC 2001

And how.  And this one used to WORK for them.  {shudders}  Unfortunaly, they
take a very odd approach to their stores, from a corporate standpoint.  They
replenish not based upon what's popular, but the program is written to
replenish stores, basically one for one sold.  And that makes a lot of it
childrens books.  Not good for money.  I should know, I helped write the
program.  I like them because they can be nice to read in, however, the chairs
in other stores are more inviting that the "new" downtown borders, and the
new arborland one.  I LIKED the old borders store and kinda wish they hadn't
moved.

response 32 of 194:

Jan 11 01:43 UTC 2001

  My guess is the latter -- that it hass to do with the employees..

response 34 of 194:

Jan 11 02:13 UTC 2001

I feel like it is only in the last year that Borders, after a long steady
slump, finally bit the dust.  Some of the more obvious symptoms:  In the
Science Fiction section they have removed the old shelf that used to have new
releases from the last few weeks in it.  Why?  For a regular shopper that's
an amazing convenience.  It had gotten fairly unreliable for a while - a
reissue of an old Robert Jordon book with a new cover on it gets displayed,
but a new book by Norman Spinrad just gets slipped quietly into the back
shelves.  Sure, they can expect to sell more of the Jordan, but it's basically
a marketing ploy to get more people to start reading his endless series of
big fat books (each book in such a series much have lower sales than the one
before, so getting the first book read a lot is important from a marketing
point of view), while the a Spinrad book is something worth noting for people
who care about the insides of books.  Tastes vary, and I certainly agree that
a new book by Robert Jordan, or even Mercedes Lackey deserves prominent
placement, but I'd rather shop in a bookstore that gives the appearance of
servering the agenda of me, the reader, rather than of the publishing
companies.  Anyway, the "new books" shelf has completely vanished, replaced
by a desultry display of "book we are pushing this month" - sometimes new,
mostly not.  There is a table with new paperback fiction, where Science
Fiction is mixed with Mystery, Horror and General Fiction.  I could live with
that, if it actually did a decent job, but it doesn't.  I still have to search
the stacks for new books deemed unworthy of public display.

I'm not a shopper who commonly asks staff a lot of questions, so I don't have
a direct way of telling if they have much going on in their heads.  They seem
like generally cool people, from the talk I overhear, and not incompetant,
but not really into it.  I actually feel like I know the guy who used to do
science fiction and later computers at borders, although I never spoke more
than a few sentences with him, and I'm sure he has no idea who I am.  I'd sign
up to be in his fan club any day.  I still see him on the streets from time
to time, but not in borders anymore.  Wonder what he's up to.

response 36 of 194:

Jan 11 14:29 UTC 2001

I've had occasion, recently, to ask for help at Borders.  Several times.  In
the OLD old days (across the street) the average staffer would probably have
known where to find the exact book.  These days, well, they tried to help.
When the computer didn't turn up ANYTHING by the author, literally, I started
guessing other possible locations (than the one I'd checked already).  (This
was fantasy, but somewhat juvenile.  Not with fantasy/sf.  Is it in either
of a couple of "children's" places?  No.  Is it in Young Adult?  Yes, several
different titles.  (Why didn't the computer find them by author??))  <sigh>
That's the most recent time I sought help, but is fairly typical.

response 38 of 194:

Jan 11 17:53 UTC 2001

Yeah. The computer makes it interesting for sure. Having the computer 
allows Borders to pay the staff less because it helps them deal with the 
higher turnover rates that the lower pay tends to cause.  When they pay 
the staff less, it allows them to sell books for less and still make a 
profit. The computer system also allows Borders to cut costs in 
other ways. But, it does mean less customer service than one might get 
at a non-chain bookstore with a long term staff. Unfortunately, really 
good bookstores just arent as profitable as chains like Borders and 
Barnes and Noble. 

Personally, I have found the staff at Borders to be pretty amazing 
considering the very very low amount they are being paid. 

response 40 of 194:

Jan 12 01:51 UTC 2001

It occurrs to me that given the general lack of customer service in the Bay
Area, having customer service standards dictated by a large corporation
located elsewhere might actually be a good thing.

response 42 of 194:

Jan 13 20:40 UTC 2001

I stopped by the SKR stores on Liberty to see if the closeout 
discount had been upped to 50%.   The stores were closed and locked;
later I heard that the inventory had been seized by the bank.
Signs in the window advise to watch for the liquidation sale.

response 44 of 194:

Jan 15 15:00 UTC 2001

Yes, I tried to go there Friday, to find stores locked & dark, no signs other
than the 30% off ones.  <sigh>

I'd be interested in the liquidation sale, but probably won't find out about
it until too late.

response 46 of 194:

Jan 20 19:31 UTC 2001

SKR's liquidation sale ends today at 3:00 PM.  It started Thursday. 
Everything is 50% off.  All the furnature and fixtures are for sale.  At 5:00
today there will be an auction of large lots of everything that's left.

I went to the sale on Thursday, and almost cried on my way out.

SKR before its expansion was the only store in Ann Arbor that had a great
classical selection and knowledgable staff that could guide you through it.
Since I'm also a strong supporter of locally owned businesses, this was one
of my favorite stores in town.

I never turned to the Internet for making my music purchases.  I enjoy the
process of browsing though the rows of CDs with something in mind, but taking
detours and finding other, unexpected treasures in the process.

Where will I go now?  Borders has a good selection, but most of the staff
isn't able to guide me out of a cardboard box.  The classical half of Tower
Records was good, but they're gone now.  Discount and Harmony House have
insignificant classical collections and lack knowledgable staff.  I'm fond
of Encore, but sometimes I can't find what I'm looking for used or I want to
make a special order.  I guess now I'm on my own.

You will be sorely missed, SKR.

response 48 of 194:

Jan 21 14:33 UTC 2001

It's appalling that a city which has a large university with a
major music school can't support a decent classical music store.