Let's Discuss: A Trip Down Memory Lane

 

So I feel like I had a discussion about this a few years ago, but then memories came back to me so vividly, I felt like sharing again!

Remembering Borders

I don't know how many of you might remember the other chain bookstore we used to have, Borders. Borders was always my favorite store to go to growing up. Barnes and Noble always felt too stuffy to me. Plus Borders was super close to my house, so it was always easy talking my mom into taking me there as a kid! I can still remember where every location was in my area, which was quite a few, but it made it nice when I was "hunting" for a book and could use the online store search to see who might have it in stock.

My local one was turned into an Aldi's and it shaved down some so FedEx could have a corner space of the unit. So yeah, I wasn't fond of going to that Aldi later on. Lol. 

But I can still remember walking into the store through those double doors and seeing the cafe on the right and remember the layout for the most part. At least for the sections that I visited. Romance was alongside the cafe towards the end rows, Sci-Fi/Fantasy was in front of that. Young Adult moved around a few times, but I remember it usually stayed sort of in front of the Children's section, being apart of it and yet, separate. Those were the shelves I hounded hour by hour.

Before the days of blogging I basically found books by walking up and down the shelves looking at titles and spine covers. Seeing what covers jumped out at me or if a title caught my eye. So many memories were held in that store. I remember the day I stumbled up Meg Cabot's Haunted with the not quite subtitle, "Tale of the Mediator" and I was like, huh, that's like Jenny Carroll's Mediator series and when I read what it was about, I was like OMG it IS Jenny Carroll's Mediator series and that was my first introduction to pennames! Lol. That was likely one of the times my visit to Borders was a quick one which surprised my mom who hadn't even made it to the cafe to wait me out! Lol. The same thing happened when I eventually found the 6th installment some years after that one! 

I honestly had no method for finding books back then or realizing authors had a schedule and would release a book once a year around the same time, although since Meg was popular with her Princess Diaries series this one might not have been as annual in its releases.

I can remember the "font" Borders used in their genre sections as when I saw it in one episode of The Office when I finally gave that a try I was going ga-ga over it! I remember Office Ladies confirming that was it was in fact a Borders location, a real one that they filmed in before they closed.

I can remember the coloring of the bookcases that were used throughout the stores too. How in the Children's section they had a fun royal blue carpeting with some kind of design on it. Maybe stars and space theme? That I can't remember too well since I spent most of my time outside of that section in the later years.

But it just hit me hard when the other day I was at B&N and was once again trying to orient myself with the store's layout. I stick to one nowadays unless store inventory tells me to go elsewhere. But it amazes me how different the layouts are in all these stores. It always takes me a minute to figure out where I am and where the section of the day is! Although it's been way too many years, I feel like for the most part Borders kind of organized their stores the same, but don't quote me on that. Again, it's been way too long since I was last in there. Those last few trips were tear filled ones as book inventory pretty much stayed the same.

Every once in a while, I will trip up on my words when I say I was going to the bookstore, I say Borders instead of B&N. Borders will always be the bookstore of my heart. I had dreams of working there when I turned 16, but I think at that time they weren't hiring, so I had to look elsewhere. Of course, if I did work there, I'd probably be spending my paycheck there every week! Lol. So it might have worked out for the best that I didn't.

There was a very, very short period of time when our mall not only had a Borders store in it, but they also had a Disney Store and I was pretty much in heaven! That was my favorite mall! Then Borders closed, then they closed Disney and my heart broke each time it happened. Sadly, that mall slowly, slowly went downhill. Stores kept closing, no one went in, I think rent was high, it's tough being in a mall as online shopping increased. Now that mall is slated to be torn down for housing or business parks. Something like that. I think the movie theater might be staying, with the one restaurant that survives by being right next to the movie theater (or well, beneath it since the movie theater is up a level). There was a V-Stock that was right across from them too in the old Borders space. I haven't checked lately to see if they were still open. I remember a GNC went into the Waldenbooks space, remember those? They were the "mall version" of Borders before Borders started going into the malls. B.Dalton was the B&N version. At one point in my childhood, that mall had BOTH of those stores in it...along with the Disney Store. I told you this mall was heaven for me as a child! Lol. I am sad to see it go, but yeah, I feel like malls are almost a thing of the past what with online shopping. I prefer in-store shopping myself for that instant gratification. Especially when it comes to the things I tend to buy, they cost the same whether you buy online or in store. But online requires shipping fees unless you spend enough for the free shipping which isn't always doable, hence why I like that in-store shopping experience! That Borders membership that included free shipping was a life saver!

Anyone else remember Borders? Did you have one nearby you or did you have another bookstore closer to you?