Bowie's Borders Bookstore to Close
The chain filed for bankruptcy protection and will close 30 percent of its stores nationwide.
The Borders bookstore in Bowie is among hundreds of stores across the country that will close in the coming weeks, according to reports published by The Wall Street Journal.
Borders Group Inc., the parent company of Borders bookstores, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and will close about 30 percent of its stores nationwide.
But according to a complete list of closings published by the Journal, the Borders at Westfield Annapolis mall is safe and is not on the list.
"It has become increasingly clear that in light of the environment of curtailed customer spending... and the company's lack of liquidity, Borders Group does not have the capital resources it needs to be a viable competitor," Borders Group President Mike Edwards in a statement, as reported by the Journal.
The company is launching a strategic review of its locations with the aim of closing underperforming stores. Earlier this week, a count of Borders stores using its store locator found it had 644 stores in 48 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, according to the Journal story.
A representative from Westfield Annapolis mall could not be reached for comment.
Valerie Ormond
6:05 pm on Wednesday, February 16, 2011
So sad. It is such a nice store, and I spoke with the manager, Steve, several times. I'm very sorry to see a bookstore close anywhere, but especially this one.
Sam
6:23 pm on Wednesday, February 16, 2011
I live in Australia, and from what I've seen at my local store, Borders does a roaring trade here. I know it's the parent company that's filed, and not Borders stores individually, but is there any word on how this is going to affect Borders stores in other countries?
beryl brown
9:18 am on Thursday, February 17, 2011
I always loved Bowie,but in recent years it's a new place no longer a place to raise your children with any culture. long gone are the days when you could sit outside of starbucks and enjoy your coffee and news paper. just disgusting. Borders once a few years ago not only full of seemingly nice people they even had live music on sundays. and you could buy beautiful music. well this is certainly very sad to hear.
Joe Neighbor
10:13 am on Thursday, February 17, 2011
Borders closing up shop equals the demise of Bowie?
There are hundreds of Borders closing nationwide. In the articles I read on the bankruptcy, not one suggested it was because people were losing culture. All of the articles pointed to competition and innovation. Amazon.com revolutionized book buying several years ago, and the increase in use of e-readers is changing the industry once again. Similar reasons caused Bowie to lose its Blockbuster video store not long ago. When local Bowie stores stopped selling typewriters years ago (you young Patch editors can look that word up), no one suggested that people in Bowie lacked the creativity to write.
By the way, I still see people sitting outside Starbucks (multiple locations in Bowie) enjoying their coffee and newspapers, but perhaps these people lack the culture that earlier Bowie residents had?
Doreen A Mannion
11:40 pm on Thursday, February 17, 2011
Great response, Joe. I've lived in Bowie for almost 7 years now. I don't know where Beryl hangs out, but I have to find any public places in Bowie "disgusting."
Linda
5:54 pm on Saturday, February 19, 2011
I will miss Borders. I enjoyed being able to drop by and pick up travel books or the latest paper backs. It is much easier to get to than the bookstore at Bowie Town Center although I guess I will be going there....unless I need it sooner than I can et it from amazon.com in 2 days.
PS. Are you sure those people outside of Starbuck's were reading newspapers or using their Kindles?
Harlem Enlightenment
7:58 pm on Saturday, February 19, 2011
My wife and I moved to Bowie just before Borders opened, and felt like we had made the right choice when it did. And even though Borders is closing, we still know that we made the right choice. We are raising two African American boys in Bowie and helped developed their passion for reading by bringing them to our favorite book stores. They are both attending Sidwell Friends School. We still believe in the city and refuse to let negative talk change our minds. The value of where we live is based on our determination to invest in it, even when others move on.
fred quimby
12:38 pm on Wednesday, February 23, 2011
it's too bad they're closing, it was a nice place to browse, pick up a book or two, and have a coffee. hopefully the location won't be vacant long.
i was there sunday and there was a 15+ minute line to the registers, everything is on sale.