Borders Closures Include Brandon and Both Stores on Dale Mabry Highway

The final chapter for the Borders bookstore in Brandon has been written.

The store at 2020 Brandon Town Center Blvd. is set to close by the end of April.

It had been reported earlier that the chain would be closing some 200 stores nationwide. Borders is seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.

Some 200 stores are slated to close, including 16 in Florida. They include the two Borders superstores on Dale Mabry Highway, as well as superstores in Clearwater, Gainesville, Naples, Orlando and Sarasota.  

The announcement was made Feb. 16, at around 1:30 p.m.

Earlier in the day, it was business as usual at the Brandon Borders, where an employee said she had not heard of her store closing, but that apparently was by design.

“We need a chance to tell our employees first, before we officially confirm the list,” said Borders spokesperson Mary Davis, in a telephone interview before noon. She noted that Borders had earlier announced it would close “about 200 stores nationwide, all superstores, which represents about 30 percent of our total chain."

The official announcement of the chain's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing is online.

The list of store closings also is posted at www.bordersreorganization.com.

"In light of the ongoing impact of the difficult economy of the past few years, and the rapidly changing retailing environment for books and related products, it is essential that Borders restructure itself to reposition its business to be viable and successful over the long term," the online release reads.

"To that end, we have determined the best route to undertake the necessary reorganization of our business is through the filing of a petition for reorganizational relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code."

Nationwide, the highest number of store closings is 35 in California, followed by 16 in both Florida and Illinois. Collectively, the three states represent one-third of the overall closings.

Davis could not be reached for comment after the list was posted.

Borders Group has retained DJM Realty to manage the disposition of properties. For information, contact Brook Horn at 631-752-1100.