Books
We Asked It: With the Future of Bookstores Up In the Air, Where Do You Buy Your Books?
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Barnes and Noble has hit some hard times recently: Sales have been down , stock prices have fallen, and they recently discontinued manufacturing their Nook tablets. It's no wonder some are predicting their demise. At the same time that this last books retail giant is ailing, the future of small independent bookstores is also in question. Can brick and mortar stores really compete with the likes of ebooks and Amazon? In Boulder, Colo., we went to Barnes and Noble and independent bookstore Boulder Books to ask people what they think the future might hold for book-lovers.
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What is the Future of Books?
Barnes and Noble has hit some hard times recently: Sales have been down , stock prices have fallen, and they recently discontinued manufacturing their Nook tablets. It's no wonder some are predicting their demise. At the same time that this last books retail giant is ailing, the future of small independent bookstores is also in question. Can brick and mortar stores really compete with the likes of ebooks and Amazon? In Boulder, Colo., we went to Barnes and Noble and independent bookstore Boulder Books to ask people what they think the future might hold for book-lovers.
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"Quick and I get it right away"
"I love ebooks. It's quick and I get it right away...but I forget how much I love bookstores. I could spend hours in here looking at books." —Tracy in Barnes and Noble
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"I Love the Feel of It"
"I usually try to shop at bookstores. I don't like online. In picking a bookstore, I like someplace more eclectic. I love the set-up here. And I love one-on-one interactions. You can ask questions here, which is great. I like ebooks in the right setting like when I have to study but there's nothing like an actual bookstore." —Megan in Boulder Books
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"I really like to touch the books."
"I usually go to Barnes and Noble. I like to browse. I really like the bargain section. I like to touch the books. Amazon doesn't really give me that. But I think the market is really going to go ebooks. It's going to become more electronic." —Dresden in Barnes and Noble
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"There Will Always be People Who Will Fight for the Real Books"
"I like Barnes and Noble. You get the books quicker than Amazon. And ebooks...I just don't really like them." —Faith in Barnes and Noble "I think there will always be people who will fight for the real books." —Adama in Barnes and Noble
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"There will Always be Something Like This"
"I buy books at Boulder Books or on Amazon. At the bookstore I can read through it and get a first impression. On Amazon I can read reviews. I pick bookstores for their organization and their atmospere, so I like Boulder Books better than Barnes and Noble. I love the atmospere here. I think there will always be something like this." —Hagino in Boulder Books
Image: Bustle
