Borders Clearance Sale - Fri 2/9/11

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Sun Aug 21, 2011 11:49 am

More bad news coming in since the closing of the Wheelock Place branch.

"Borders' store at Wheelock Place to close for good"
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNew ... 03843.html

"Borders stops accepting payments made by gift card"
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNew ... 04418.html

"More bad news for Borders customers"
http://business.asiaone.com/Business/Ne ... 95414.html

starfinder · Post by **starfinder** » Sun Aug 21, 2011 7:17 pm

Ya, it's such a pity it has closed its main Wheelock branch. I shall miss it.

The other one is likely to go too soon. Pity those customers with the unusable gift vouchers.

I'm partly to blame actually. I did buy some stuff online from Amazon. Cheaper...

Anyway, Borders' collection of astronomy books at Wheelock has been paltry in the past 1-2 years; only about 10% of the number of titles Kino carries. Let's hope Kino stays strong, or else there'll be little left in bookshops here.

Let's do our part! Support Kino. And stop buying from Amazon.

Post by **Airconvent** » Sun Aug 21, 2011 11:39 pm

A few years back I wondered how they managed to stay viable. Apparently they cannot.

Their business model is flawed : "Run the Bookstore like a Library, charge the cost of subsidizing the freeloaders to paying customers by pricing the books higher" I mean, even the lady interviewed on the Straits Times talk about missing bringing her kids there to read! How do expect to earn money when customers don't pay? I was at the Children's corner and many of the books are all worn out. Instead of a browsing copy, all the books are unwrapped, so when books are worn, the kids take the next better copy to read.

But in anycase, they mentioned that all their books will be cleared off at "huge discounts" once they find a suitable venue. I am guessing it will be at the Expo. If you dare to fight the crowd, I am pretty sure there will be quite a few Astro books available. Maybe time for me to replace my "The Backyard Astronomers Guide to a newer edition!" I remembered when Sembawang Music Centre closed down, their CDs were going at less than half price. I managed to get a few $30 CDs (obscure ones) for $4 each! So so should be the same here.

Lets pray Kinokuniya will stay viable. I noticed they have lesser readers and more buyers..that's a good sign! [smilie=cool.gif]

stargazer · Post by **stargazer** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 8:31 am

Though I don't read much, I do find Borders quite like an 'oasis of peace' among the glitter and commercialism of Orchard. Always make it a point to visit when I go Orchard.

Pity....

starfinder · Post by **starfinder** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 8:22 pm

Hi Rich,

I think your analysis of why Borders failed is probably right. I've seen people who plonk themselves on the chairs for such a long time I think they must have finished the whole book. "Why Border Buying?" would have been an apt motto for them.

As for Kinokuniya, I think they used to have just 1 or 2 seats near the Literature section at their main Orchard branch but I think even those seats are gone. After the closures of the main branches of MPH (at their former Stamford Road HQ), Times (Centrepoint) and now Borders, Kino at Orchard is the last proper bookstore left in the whole country (don't think we can include Popular in the same league).

I suppose I rather that Kino not provide seating for its customers and stay viable; I'm sure we can all stand that. Ha......

Post by **acc** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:20 pm

Was so elated when the Borders first opened in Sg and supported them once in a while by buying a magazine or two. Remembered one occasion where I told off one young lady browser who folded a page of a book she was browsing so could return to it.

Anyway, PageOne at Vivo is not bad and has rather low prices for its magazines too.

starfinder · Post by **starfinder** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 11:10 am

acc wrote: Anyway, PageOne at Vivo is not bad and has rather low prices for its magazines too.

Oh yes, I forgot about PageOne at Vivo! That's certainly a proper bookstore, though I sometimes feel quite disorientated due to their strange layout and slanting shelves.

Post by **Airconvent** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 10:31 pm

starfinder wrote:
acc wrote: Anyway, PageOne at Vivo is not bad and has rather low prices for its magazines too.
Oh yes, I forgot about PageOne at Vivo! That's certainly a proper bookstore, though I sometimes feel quite disorientated due to their strange layout and slanting shelves.

yeah man..I don't enjoy going in there....I get sea sick! In anycase, I do miss the MPH at the Stamford Brickhouse more (only those above 35 will know what I mean!). Its a pity they moved out and the place seems to be neglected now.

Post by **rcj** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 10:37 pm

I will certainly miss Borders Wheelock. It is one of the only few bookstores that is centrally located in Singapore and served as a gathering point for friends, especially after dinners. Best thing is, it opens till late, unlike the "unearthly" hours of 9:30PM for Borders Parkway, and Kino. But I must say the astro books have shrunk in collection, though most of other time, I would be browsing through magazines and new novels.

Clifford60 · Post by **Clifford60** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 6:37 am

Borders bookstore to hold book sale in two weeks - CNA

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/ ... 68/1/.html