For those of you living under rocks, in caves, or on the moon, here's a little piece of info you've been missing (for the rest of you, I'm sure you're aware of this already): Borders Books & Music is closing this week. They took the first steps towards liquidation last week. It's been an iconic A2 store since 1971, but 40 years on, they had overstepped their bounds. I worked there for a few years about 10 years back, & the downtown #1 store was fantastic. It was always crowded, the selection was great, & the employees really knew the inventory. I made a few friends there that I still run into around town too. It's sad to see it go, but I must admit, I hadn't bought anything there in quite a while. My recent avoidance of the store wasn't for the reasons the media has been reporting though. It has more to do w/ a general avoidance of corporate stuff like that.
The news is all about the competition from Amazon. However, no brick & mortar store will ever compete w/ a web-site so when they started trying to do that, they were setting themselves up for failure. Discounted prices, focusing on best-sellers, constant expansion, & a shift towards non-book stuff compounded to bring about this less-than-sudden change. As a Monday morning quarterback, it's easy to say, "They should've done...." but it's not that simple. We're talking about the livelihoods of a lot of people. Of course, not as many per store as when I worked there, since the staff had been shrinking over the last 10 years. Had they maintained a staff that actually knew about books, rather than a skeleton crew of automatons, they may have been able to avoid the vacant sales floors & shrinking stock. There I go w/ the Monday morning quarterbacking though.
Hopefully, this will give people the kick in the ass they need to start supporting local businesses again. Malcolm X was talking about this issue in 1964. Of course, people scoffed @ him as a fringe lunatic. Kucinich has been talking about this for years... again w/ the Fringe lunatic status though. Be they grocery stores, coffee shops, book stores or what have you, I'm gonna go out on that same lunatic limb & remind you to start patronizing the local stuff.
Here's a fun little quote from Malcolm X for you:
You and I have to make a start and the best place to start is right in the community where we live. So our people not only have to be re-educated to the importance of supporting black business, but the black man himself has to be made aware of the importance of going into business. And once you and I go into business, we own and operate at least the businesses in our community. What we will be doing is developing a situation wherein we will actually be able to create employment for the people in the community. And once you can create some employment in the community where you live it will eliminate the necessity of you and me having to act ignorantly and disgracefully, boycotting and picketing some practice some place else trying to beg him for a job. Anytime you have to rely upon your enemy for a job - you’re in bad shape.
He's clearly talking about economics from a racial standpoint, but however we look @ it, the idea of keeping money in the community is @ heart of his claims. Whether we're shipping money to Arkansas, Minnesota, or SE Asia, it's leaving Michigan. Only by keeping it @ 'round these parts will we be able to employ the people 'round these parts. It will probably mean spending a little extra on a daily basis, but in the long run (be they books, vegetables, or cars) the products we buy here keep the cash here. This is the same argument we've been making for organic vegetables, for local farming, & for local restaurants for years. Only when one of the big boys goes under, do poele start paying attention though.
Is this really just a plug for Nicola's? No, but already, I've seen Borders employees in there looking for work. And as you start shopping locally, remember that I'll be moderating a Sci/Fi panel tomorrow @ Nicola's w/ Sarah Zettel, Jacqueline Carey, & Jim Hines (Sarah live in Ypsi & Jim is an EMU English Dept. grad). I've never moderated anything before, so you can come out tomorrow night & watch me trip over my words. It should be pretty cool.
2 comments:
Well said. Also good luck with your moderating. We will stop by if we can.
I have been around long enough to remember when Borders was a locally owned bookstore on State St. - right where Chipotle is now. I agree with you that it's (now that it is a corporation and has been for many years) focus away from books - too many stores, etc. did them in. I feel horrible for the employees who were always super knowledgeable and helpful.
For the last three Christmases, which is when I buy books since I use the library and buy used at thrift stores, I make all my book purchases at Nicola's - what would happen if we could never find a locally owned store? That started to freak me out, so I make the trek across town in order to do my part. I will continue to try and do my part whenever possible. Keep up the good work Andre!
Post a Comment