On Borders Closing

UPDATE (JULY 22, 1:40 p.m.): The Washington Post has released the list of Borders stores that are proposed in the Books-A-Million sale. The Woodbridge location would be the only one in Virginia to be spared. 

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UPDATE (July 22, 8:42 a.m.): According to Borders' CEO Mike Edwards, Books-A-Million has submitted a bid to purchase 30 Borders locations, which have yet to be disclosed.

"Books-A-Million has submitted a bid to purchase, among other things, the inventory, fixtures, equipment, and leasehold interests for 30 Borders locations. Under the proposed bid, Books-A-Million will assume the leases for these locations and continue to operate these stores," said Edwards in a prepared statement. 

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Borders will begin its going-out-of-business sale today at 9 a.m. 

I stopped by the store Thursday afternoon to take a look around and see how the staff, patrons and community were feeling about the large chain’s looming closure.

While the décor in the café section of the store has come off of the walls, there are books in every crevice of the store. Temporary book bins that are usually spotted outside the storefront lined the back section near the DVDs. Every feasible square foot of floor space was being strategically set up by the management team.

They were preparing for a huge influx of customers. 

Employees spoke of the closing sale at the Stafford County location as “a nuthouse.” Books will be discounted at various rates, and the staff is ready for a long day and long line. 

While the sale begins today, there’s still no official date of when the store will close. But, come September all of the 399 will be closed; unless the Books-A-Million deal comes through with more details.

I remember when Crown Books was around; my brother learned to count at their kiddie story hours. Now, Fitness Resource fills the space where Crown used to stand. 

The situation with Borders going bankrupt is almost the opposite of the plot in the 90s movie “You’ve Got Mail.” But my question is, will Woodbridge have its own “Shop Around the Corner” to fill the book void?

Borders may have been a chain bookstore, but in Woodbridge it was home to community events as well. Writers toiling away at their , local Hell’s Kitchen winner Rock Harper had his book signing at the store and people like me used the café as an office.

In what can be assumed as a sign of the times, Amazon trumped e-books, Barnes & Noble and local libraries in our poll for where people would get their books.

As I stood in line with my final Woodbridge Borders purchases Thursday, a customer ahead of me was shocked to find out that the store was closing. 

“It’s closing?!” she said. “I usually get all my books here. That stinks.” 

Indeed it does.