So, Barnes & Noble is closing its 60,000-square-foot Lincoln Triangle Store after fifteen years of business. They claim it has nothing to do with sales, but we all know better. They're not moving because they just want a change of scenery. We all know the score: print media is in deep shit.
For me, nothing can replace holding the actual pages in my hands - reading it on a computer screen (even if it's a Kindle) just doesn't do it for me. But then, I'm in my forties. The same feeling isn't necessarily shared by the younger generations. In fact, although it pains me to say it, I find myself reading a lot more digital media than I used to. I can easily foresee the inevitable demise of the printed word altogether.
Everyone knows about the horrible state newspapers are in across the country. It's not a matter of "if they're going to die" but "when".
Books still make money - but the dynamics have changed. Glenn Beck and Stephen King will make 30 million off their newest bestsellers, but 99% of the inventory collects dust.
What's really sad is that the big stores like Barnes & Noble, Borders and Books-a-Million have all but crushed the small locally owned bookstores. Now that these little stores which actually had something unique to offer their community have bit the dust, their predators are now falling prey to an even bigger fish in the food chain - the Internet marketplace.
To make matters worse, the sales of e-books has increased 176 percent since 2009! The electronic book is still a small part of the market (less than ten percent), but it's obviously making good ground.
Well, I'd love to sit here and mourn the passing of the printed word; but in case you haven't noticed; Retrospace ain't on paper. So, I guess I'll step off my soap box on this one issue..
