I recently read a few articles (random 2am google searching) about how Barns and Noble is doing in this highly competitive technological market. Turns out that they aren't doing so well. Being one for of the very, if not the last, brick and mortar national chain of book stores they are actually doing okayish but then there is the e-book phenomenal, which I've admittedly been totally sucked into. Where they Nook is concerted, poor B&N is not doing so well and, from what I understand, the nook is sucking away the companies money. This is no good.
I hopped on the Nook train when they first came out. I'm not sure why but the Kindle just never really appealed to me. When I was asked what I want for the birthday the summer after the Nook was released I didn't even have to think twice about my answer My tech savvy husband on the other hand, insisted a doing research to make sure it was the one I wanted.
In all fairness the Nook kind of had a head start. I have been giving Barns and Noble a disgustingly large portion of money since I started getting allowance in the 6th grade. I loved going to the movies with my friends in high school because the theater was in the parking lot with the Barns and Noble.
The movie doesn't start for two hours? Ok I'll be with the books if you need me.
I have judge many a relationship on how long the guy will let me wander around Barns and Noble. The winners of my affections have often been those that chipped in for my books(now you know the way to my heart). Even now my husband rarely puts a limit on my book purchasing, whether that is because he is the sweetest man on Earth (seriously) or if it is because it just makes his life easier to just let me have my books, we may never know. The moral of the story is, I have a ton of books and the majority of them are from Barns and Noble. I know that are cheaper places to get books, but those places are not B&N. Those places don't ,usually, have a Starbucks attached to them ( the other... other love of my life) either.
But I think I have figured out the main reason Barnes and Noble has won my affection, they are one of the the few stores, if not the only store, that is always about the books. Yes Amazon sells books. Amazon even had books that you can't get at Barnes and Noble. But, while I am looking at books, I am also getting recommended the lasted DSLR that is on sale, and the wed site fills is necessary to keep reminding me about those calligraphy pens I put on my while list six months ago(my handwriting sucks by the way).
Barnes and Noble is and hopefully always will be all about the books. It sad to think that there may no longer be a Barnes and Noble to go to. A place where you can wonder around and find your next favorite book. A place with handwritten staff picks through out the store. A place where even on the wed site they have a person for each genre to tell you what they think of the latest and greatest books you might be interested in.
I hope that Barnes and Noble doesn't go away. I think people need a place like B&N to get away and focus on the books. I can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon than discovering a new book and I can't think of a better place to do that than Barnes and Noble(libraries get mad when you bring coffee).
