Barnes and Noble
 

Heard a rumor this morning that B and N might become another fitness center. Sounds like a good idea. I guess B and N is losing money, too many people coming in , sitting , reading for an hour or so , then marking their page and coming back next day to continue reading. Anyone else heard anything about that?

This is a rumor that keeps popping up from time to time. I hope we do not lose our only book store. Where I came from we had a Border's bookstore down the street that I never really liked. Barnes and Noble rocks!!!

Guilty!!! But for every book I read sitting on the floor, my wife buys two. I look at it this way, I never planned to buy, so they haven't really lost money. I was there only to accompany my wife. I would bet that the Kindle and B&N's Nook may have hastened the demise of the book store. I believe the NY Times has already announced that they will stop printing papers and will only be available by subscription on-line beginning 2012 or 2014. Not sure about the target date.

An ill wind blows some good.
 

I try to stay out of Barnes and Noble because...I um...have a problem there. I have a gift card from there right now and I haven't used it. I am afraid I will bankrupt our family. I love, LOVE, Love books.

So...If Barnes and Noble becomes a fitness center, perhaps some of the unhappy souls on here will become happy and my temptation will have been removed.

GOOD!

Eeek. I'm guilty too. I love book stores. But when I go into a B & N now, I'm just browsing. If I see a book or magazine I want, I download it-- on my Kindle!

I can only say that if this ever proves to be true, it will be a real downer for this community to have that large beautiful building empty even for a short time would detract anyone from coming here I suspect.

I am one who thinks we should go out of our way to enjoy all our merchants and make a special effort to give them as much business as possible and if it requires an extra effort so be it.

It would be an extreme hit to this community on a lot of levels....financially and public relations wise. That is a large building, and from my point of view...if it becomes a fitness center I will be totally devastated. There are fitness centers in most rec centers and the large one at Spanish Springs...great to stay fit but they will not keep our local economy going !

Pay a visit to B and N...you may like the atmosphere and maybe even buy something....and no, I dont work there or know anyone who works there, but I do visit it a lot because it is, to me, a real asset to the community.

Although I'd like a big, new fitness center in TV, I'd truly hate to lose B&N; its one of my favorite places. But I guess the handwriting is probably on the wall; with all the kindles, nooks, ebooks, etc catching on, its probably just a matter of time before the big retail bookstores start closing down.
I try to buy at least one new release hardcover book a month, usually nonfiction, at B&N. I'm in a B&N membership club and receive a 40% discount on hardcover bestsellers, plus they send coupons for another 15%. I read the books quickly and then list them on Amazon for sale. Right now, I'm reading President Bush's "Decision Points", which should sell quickly for about $16, used, on Amazon next week.
My wife and I go for coffee and sweets at the B&N cafe maybe once a week--Starbucks coffee and a nice atmosphere!!!. Some people will pull a big pile of magazines or books from the shelves, thumb through them, and leave them on the table for the employees to clean up. Shouldn't bother me, but it does for some reason.
Hey, I'm a worrier by nature, so the prospect of B&N closing will give me something to worry about. Great!!!

I think B&N is in financial difficulty, has nothing to do with whether this location would be better served as a fitness center...gn

Heard the rumor as well. Hate to lose B & N but when I inquired about the defunct fitness center they alluded to a new club near Lake Sumter Landing.

One mans opinion.....


The loss of B N would be devastating and the gain of another health club at Sumter Landing does not seem, to me at least, even get close to making up that loss !!

The convenience of business, such as B/N, and not health clubs is what makes the Villages a special place.

B/N's problems are NOT local but national...that I understand, but my message is aimed at those who seem to welcome the close of a local landmark IF we can just get more space to work out !

B-N is good for lifestyle preview & newcomers
 

I think having familiar, national-chain businesses near the Preview homes area is very important for making visitors/wannabes feel at home. When we stayed in Creekside landings home for preview, it was "comforting" to see some of our favorite places from home up north, such as Barnes & Noble, Starbucks, and now Coldwater Creek and TGIFridays.

And having them so close, and midway on the walk to the town square, made it even better because we can't walk or ride a golf cart or bike to these places at home (6-lane, gnarled mall traffic around them). Barnes & Noble is one of the places I always mention in describing the place to those who've never seen TV. Some think shopping would be lacking in a snug, friendly hometown like this--my father-in-law asked, "Well do they have a supermarket?" (By answering "yes--there's Publix on each side of TV, Winn-Dixie, and SweetBay, and there's Lowes, Home Depot, Sam's, Kohl's, 2 Walmart supercenters, etc." they understood better.)

It's hard to describe how much MORE shopping etc. is available by golf car, walking, etc. here, than by car at home in other states. But they do know the new B&N stores are not built in isolation from other familiar retailers we frequent. Shopping choices are very important when moving to another state.

B&N
 

I don't want to lose Barnes and Nobles either , but I think it is a national trend. New technology is taking away so many things that we are familiar with. It's sad.

The bookstores will follow the demise of the Blockbuster Video stores.
 

The electronic equivilent of what they make available requires significantly less real estate and employment.

Move over buggy whips!

btk

Convert B & N into a fitness center?
 

Where would they put the swimming pool that some folks have been clamoring for?:shrug:

I love the feel, the smell and the sound when you first open a new hardcover book.

Went To The Source
 

I have on two occasions asked staff at the B&N if the rumors that their store might close had any merit. I have been told on both occasions that 1) there was an attempt of a hostile takeover of the chain that failed and 2) the existing management is not interested in closing the store. While I remain suspicious, I did renew my B&N card which for a fee allows me to discount virtually every purchase I make at the store. Obviously if the store closes, I'm out of luck. The next closest B&N is in Ocala. I'm not driving that far to visit a bookstore.

If the store closes, which I hope it doesn't, your membership can still be used to make purchases online at bn.com. I love Barnes and Noble, both going to the store and shopping online. You can even check the availability of books at the local store, reserve them, and go right to the counter and pick them up. When ordering online, members get free delivery with a $25 purchase.

B&n redux
 

While I'm aware that I can use my B&N card online, the reality is many of the purchases I make are not bestsellers. My most recent purchase, a collection on suspenseful and occult short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle of Sherlock Holmes fame was purchased from the budget section. I certainly didn't walk into the store looking for 100 year old stories by Doyle (fantastic book by the way). That is the advantage of a real brick and mortar bookstore. Online retailing can never replicate that. By the way, I'm hoping with two new libraries opening in The Villages and Lady Lake over the next few months that I'll be buying fewer books.