Thought on Borders…
I was originally going to write about my current dilema, wether I should buy an ereader or keep buying physical books. Then I found out that Borders Bookstores is shutting down. All of them. It’s pretty ironic that I was researching ereaders and found this out about a company that I used to (still occasionally do) work for. Ereaders may not have directly killed Borders, horrible management is what ultimately killed Borders.
I am actually deeply saddened by the reality of this. Ever since I found the Montclair (CA) Borders store, I fell in love with that place. Just so many books to read and so much to look at and omg coffee. I would spend hours in the store, much to my parents and sisters boredom but I loved it. As soon as I could start working, I applied to be a bookseller, alas it was not so. But I always visited that store.
It wasn’t until 2008 that I got hired at Borders, my dreams were fulfilled and I was surrounded by books. When I found out that I could rent books out I was just elated! I took advantage of that often! I worked in the Cafe but any chance I could get to work the book floor, I took it. There was a period when all I did was stock and occasionally help customers. That was probably my happiest month there. I would mess around with old man Chris in the back, talk with David about the most random subjects, went with Val to In-n-out and talked about our girlfriends. Flirt with my coworkers (I was single at the time) Got to know some great customers.
That’s what I will miss most of all actually, the people I have met. My coworkers were always nerdy and awkward and different, but I loved it because so was I. I fit right in, you had to be a nerd to work there and honestly, you would have to be to WANT to work there.
I left Borders in early 2010 because the hours were being cut. I went back to The Coffee Bean and have been there since, but every once in a while Borders would call me to cover some shifts. When I could I gladly agreed to. I would be hanging out with some of the coolest people I knew.
Placing books on my to read list. Throwing books at coworkers. Reading graphic novels suggested by Chris. Fixing the magazine section. Complaining about Jeff’s Dad (a homeless dude who swears he is rich but is somehow always in our store). Kissing that girl in the back room (again single at the time). Partying for New Years, going to the bar, eating sushi. Watching soo many VHS movies during my break times. I will miss all of this.
I am saddened most of all by the fact that I may never see these people again. Sure they are my facebook friends, but without working together at Borders and spending time together in the store, it will not be the same. I am going to miss these people and I am going to miss what the company represented to me. A door into a new world.
I may buy an ereader now because Barnes and Noble does not represent that to me. It is a great company and I hope they succeed because we don’t need more people out of work. The physical book will always be important to me (something not universal I guess) but the store does not represent the same thing to me that Borders did.
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