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I remember Whitcombe and Tombs
Feb. 18th, 2011 12:19 pmBorders and Whitcoulls bookstores in trouble. I should be saddened by the possible closure of bookstores. I was very unhappy when Dymocks in Wellington closed down. But I can't say I have any sympathy for this lot at all. With online sources so much cheaper, a storefront operation has to offer something more than shelves containing only the standard distributor-pushed mass market titles (readily available from Book Depository or Amazon) and staff who know nothing about what they are selling.
When I go into Arty Bees or Unity, there are friendly staff there who know about what they are selling. Add to that the titles stocked contain enough items that are outside the norm to make the shelves worth browsing. This is best illustrated by Arty Bees - I can go in there and ask "what have you got new for me?" I will get an intelligent and useful answer. That would never happen in the big chain stores. Whitcoulls and Borders have failed to establish a point of difference. Perhaps if the coffee in Borders was better then it may have been different. As it is, they no longer have a reason to exist.
When I go into Arty Bees or Unity, there are friendly staff there who know about what they are selling. Add to that the titles stocked contain enough items that are outside the norm to make the shelves worth browsing. This is best illustrated by Arty Bees - I can go in there and ask "what have you got new for me?" I will get an intelligent and useful answer. That would never happen in the big chain stores. Whitcoulls and Borders have failed to establish a point of difference. Perhaps if the coffee in Borders was better then it may have been different. As it is, they no longer have a reason to exist.