Written by Susan Barranca

Could Borders Bookstore really be up for sale?  Apparently Borders is losing enough money that it might put itself up for sale, and rival Barnes and Nobles's profits are also dropping.  What is this world coming to when bookstores are losing money?  I so hope there is a similar drop in electronic store profits, else that would mean that video games are edging out reading.  Oh the horror!

Aren't people buying books anymore?  I know us DJRs can't live without them.  Maybe people are taking the "green movement" seriously and are buying more second hand books or going to the library.  Or maybe the ebook readers are starting to capture the market.  Downloading books might be nice on a cold wintry night: you can download a book on your computer, while wearing your pjs and fuzzy slippers.  But you don't get that smell that only a bookstore has....

 The bookstores are saying that they have even reduced prices for their members to try to encourage more book buyers.  With the high price of gas and heat, less people are buying books.  I don't know about you, but I could give up food if I had my books.

Borders is expanding their stores with new ideas to try to recapture some of the market.  They are offering CD burners for music and downloading stations for ebooks at some of their stores.  These offerings won't replace physical books on bookshelves; they would just be another option.

I wonder how much would Borders sell for if it did go on the market?  A couple of million?  I say we all pool our money and buy a bookstore for DJR.  (I know our founder, Cheyne, would probably love to get a Borders store for his birthday.)