Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

I'm putting on my raincoat and heading to the liquidation. Kind of sad to see, even though I wanted a Barnes and Nobles when it was announced that we would get a big box bookstore in the area. Now it is close to an hour to any one of 3 Barnes and Nobles. We are great here on used book stores, but the independent in Mystic is just not quite enough to satisfy my book needs.
On a happier subject, the library had Bossypants, the new Jance and the new Lisa Lutz all on the 2 week shelf.
On a less happy subject, my library card had expired.
Back on a happy note, I got a new card and the books.
But sadly, the librarian accidentally cut up my Mystic Seaport membership car instead of my library card.
But to end on a happy note, the new card is half sized, so takes up less precious wallet space.

Borders and Barnes and Noble (their local brick and mortar stores)are both out of my way. Borders isn't in my city and the Barnes and Noble that was in my city closed last year. So when I go to a a brick and mortar bookstore, it's always an independent. I have an independent bookstore within walking distance where the mystery reading group that I attend meets.

Glad everything ended up on a happy note

The only Borders that was at all close to me closed in April. I went to the closing sale when it started in late February. Got a few good deals, though the discounts weren't all that high. I have 2 B&N that are pretty close by. I don't go to them all that often, but did stop in one last weekend. I mostly just look as I hate paying full price and won't buy their club card.

Barry wrote: "I'm putting on my raincoat and heading to the liquidation. Kind of sad to see, even though I wanted a Barnes and Nobles when it was announced that we would get a big box bookstore in the area. No..."

i had a border's g/c in my wallet so i went over there this afternoon. you'd have thought they were giving away the store, there were so many people in there buying up a storm. nothing in the store was any big savings- 10% off most fiction, as opposed to the border's coupons that gave you 30 or 40% off. someone in line behind me told me that we'll be getting a BAMM when border's goes.

Barry wrote: "I'm putting on my raincoat and heading to the liquidation. Kind of sad to see, even though I wanted a Barnes and Nobles when it was announced that we would get a big box bookstore in the area. No..."

oh- annie will order anything you want at bank square, barry. you can even do it online through their website and it's the 10(i think)% off. agreed, that their stock isn't the same as at one of the big stores, but the online component makes it bigger.

Barry: Your book adventure today seemed to hit a few rough patches but end up ok.
Independent bookstores here are working to pick up the slack from the loss of the big boxes. We lost the closest B&N in the big May 2009 flood, no news on whether it will be rebuilt when the mall finally reopens next spring after the flood damage is finally repaired. The lack of options to view, smell, sample and handle actual books is disturbing.
BAMM seems more like a low end gift store than a bookstore lately and haven't even been keeping up their greeting card stock to qualify as a good gift store. sigh.

The one Borders left is fairly near my office, I may wander over and see what is left in a week or so. I am not really looking for that kind of book buying experience (out of business sale) when I want to go browse.
We do plan to visit a local independent used book store next week, looking forward to it!!

Maybe I was at Borders the same time as Sherry, I was there 2-3 then went to see Captain America. The line stretched clear to the back of the store, and I did not feel compelled to buy anything. My daughter got on line 10 minutes after arrival while i went and gathered things for her, then donated the last of my Borders bucks to her. I'll go back in the final hours to see if anything I want remains.

How was Captain America, Barry?

Barry wrote: "Maybe I was at Borders the same time as Sherry, I was there 2-3 then went to see Captain America. The line stretched clear to the back of the store, and I did not feel compelled to buy anything. ..."

probably missed each other by a few hours. i was there around 11ish. the line was about one third of the way through the store, but really moved very quickly.

Captain America was probably better than Thor, but not even in the same league as Ironman.

Hard to be in the same league as Ironman! Thanks!

Barry wrote: "Captain America was probably better than Thor, but not even in the same league as Ironman."

I liked Thor, but I don't like the guy who plays Captain America. Ironman was stellar!!

I'm sad to see borders going as you all know it's right up the highway from me. if the highway wasn't there I could probably walk there. my bil likes to keep saying not only am I losing my borders but I might be losing my needlepoint store (there is no other in the area) which the owner and her husband are retiring to arizona. there is someone interested in and they are dealing with lawyers now trying to come up with a good deal. but who knows what will happen. it could all end the end of the month. so until then things are in limbo with that.
that means it stops me from going out in the B&N direction that much. but from something I heard this week at borders now B&N is up for sale. ugh. who knows what is true. I think this is around the time I renew my membership so I might not be doing that this year. since I haven't been going out there that much now and without the needlepoint store I might cut it down even more. it's good for the discounts when I do go. that makes me think too.
I've gone to borders twice since they started the liquidation sales. they have a sign they are bringing stuff in from other places. probably because it's a good location and it's a higher money maker. they are still accepting gift certificates until the end of the month. I was told alot of people are holding off using them until the discounts get bigger. from what I buy it's 40 on magazines (not much left I bought a book magazines) most of the other books are 30 percent. there is still 20 and 10 but I didn't see what yet.

DonnaJo: I may try to stop in the Borders that is near my office next week. I forgot last week when I went back to work from vacation. With the heat lately I avoid going out of the building at all until time to go home. Last Tuesdays high was 102, a record for the day, breaking the temperature record of 100 for that day in 1952. Not a great time to drive around mid day.
Donnajo wrote: "I'm sad to see borders going as you all know it's right up the highway from me. if the highway wasn't there I could probably walk there. my bil likes to keep saying not only am I losing my border..."

I was surprised that Borders was still getting in new stock. Books were 25% off plus they were still giving me 10% for the plus. They did say that in spite of the website still fulfilling requests, when Borders closes its door, the website will as well.
We almost had a BAMM move in here, but BAMM was not able to pull off the deal. A real pity for readers and for the people that work at the bookstore.
At least we have the independent store in Mystic, if they ever stop tearing up the streets.

Barry wrote: "I was surprised that Borders was still getting in new stock. Books were 25% off plus they were still giving me 10% for the plus. They did say that in spite of the website still fulfilling request..."

barry- at christmas time bank square books was delivering because the construction was so bad.

Donnajo wrote: "I'm sad to see borders going as you all know it's right up the highway from me. if the highway wasn't there I could probably walk there. my bil likes to keep saying not only am I losing my border..."

DJ, My Borders closed about a year ago. There are so many businesses that are now gone. One of our favorite restaurants, a family owned steak house restaurant, which had been in business for 50 years closed. We knew the owners and all the waitress at Carl's Steakhouse. After a long ride we would stop there every weekend and they knew exactly what we would order. Miss them all. A wonderful couple that owned Full Boar Motorcycles since the late 1970's closed their doors last year. They plan on coming back. They had donated many items for various poker runs. Fred had won leather chaps and I had won a leather jacket years ago. The whole family worked there, their teen age kids worked their restaurant next to the store. We always met others there. They even would have start up bands perform on the weekends.
American Ironhorse Factory located in Ft. Worth along with their store closed about 2 years ago. I knew several people that worked there, they are now scattered, have no idea where they are now. I'm sure we will see them somewhere in the future.

I think they are getting the books from other borders that aren't doing as well or closed right away. I know they had a sign when I walked in the door. My niece said there isn't much in the kids area. I had gone and looked a before she did and it was a disaster between kids running around and stuff all over the floor. the last time I went I saw some of the people I recognized but the first time I didn't know anyone. I think all they have it the people up in front none around the store and the cafe is closed off completely. I really didn't see people leaving with the amount of stuff I would imagine. I think like they said people are waiting for more of a discount. I know when the other closed out at the mall when I asked thinking it was still around someone in a store close by told me they had no notice before the day it happened it was suddenly closed one day. I should have known when they told me long ago they weren't doing special orders. they would only do a special order on the website and you had to pay right away. but I never had to pay a shipping/handling fee because they took it off for me. the plus they are still taking but I didn't go out for that at the time. the summer bonuses stopped. I hope I got any that I was supposed to get before all these problems. I keep thinking if they keep taking all these bookstores away like we hear what will happen to people that don't have computers and can't buy books that way. I know libraries. when I hear stuff about BN I worry about the nook and what will happen. but I guess we can't think that until the time comes. they keep saying the kobo or whatever you call the borders ones are safe because it's a different company.
well I'm in a bad mood today anyway so it won't take me much to be in a worst mood. my fire detector was going on and off most the night. so didn't get much if any sleep. got the number of the complex's electician and called him and he's coming between 5 and 6 today. they say the type of detector our complex uses only last around 10 years. well I'm here at least 11 and I never changed it. only the batteries once a year. most of the ceilings in my place I can't even get too. my bil does the batteries. so this guy is going to check the batteries or he will replace the detectors for me. at least he's done other's in the complex so he knows what he's doing. but now in daylight it's not happening not that I want that very loud noise to happen. if it was a normal sunday night I would have been at the shore but stayed home this weekend because of my niece's friends going. but I so can't wait until friday.

Good luck with the smoke detector repair, DJ!
I am hopeful that independent bookstores will fill the void for physical bookstores when the big boxes go out. When Davis Kidd closed last year, the used bookstores (the only kind of independent we had left) started carrying selected new books, special ordering and some author events. Also Ann Patchett is partnering to open a new independent bookstore here too in the near future (location not announced) .

Lorraine: It is very sad when so many businesses can't make a go of it anymore.
Brakedrum wrote: "There are so many businesses that are now gone."

I had to end up going out last night after the guy left to home depot to buy the new fire detectors. let's just say I got a education on fire detectors last night alittle more than I wanted. between inter connect with battery backup and just battery. I thought I had ones that went to the light outside but it turns out they don't. and when I went to get a mix of both they don't even carry the into connect without battery. so instead of getting 5 of one type with 2 of the just battery I got just the 5. leave it the way it was. who cares about the outside thing. believe me when it goes off everyone will hear it anyway. so he will be back later tody again to put them in. it hasn't happened again so who knows what the problem happened in the first place. but they aren't supposed to last more than 10 years anyway. so it's better to change them and hope no more problems.
There aren't any ubs in my area. I just have the one or two at the shore I can visit. There is a big store in town down there. other than that it's only B&N. my sister said she saw one up here where there used to be one but I'm not sure where abouts on that street it was. so until I know for sure I'm not checking it out.