Coming back from Japan after 13 years, I literally felt like Rumplestilskin. Stores I used to frequent were gone, others under new ownership, prices much higher. Borders, Barnes and Noble struck me as the most unusual. As I was walking down the isles, many people seemed to be hanging out just reading books. Hell there were even couches along the walls. I wondered if I had mistakenly wondered into a public library. I kinda liked this new laid back approach to selling books. Coffee and cakes were also a new taste sensation for the eyes, nose and mouth, well that is, at least in a bookstore. At least what I had known as a bookstore. After a time though this new culture wore off as I sometimes found sticky books, others with mangled covers, etc. Was I wrong to expect books that were somewhat presentable, that looked new from an arms lenght? Anyways, this was just a long winded way to say that it’s not surprizing to see some Barnes and Nobles around me and on my commute closing their doors. I’m one of those that have found Amazon and other places on the Internet that sell new books that are new, or used books that are used.
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