In: New Look, out: Borders
Bloody hell! There I was popping in to Borders on Oxford Street to ‘use the facilities’ and I was greeted by the world’s biggest queue for the tills, coiling every which way around the ground floor. There must be a new Harry Potter book out, I thought, but no, it’s much more sinister than that. New Look has bought five Borders stores and the Oxford Street branch is one of the unlucky ones. Almost everything is half price (but not the magazines, natch) hence the frenzy.
The photography section looked tantalising on first inspection but when I returned for a proper recce two hours later, everything was on the floor.
What a sorry state of affairs. What on earth is going to happen to the rest of our bookshops if this is happening to Borders now? What can we do? I don’t have anything against New Look but there is already a flagship store in Marble Arch (unless they are downsizing and swapping sites), is our appetite for jazzy leggings so great that we need two branches of the same store in the same street at the expense of a bookshop? It’s all too sad!
What a sorry state of affairs. What on earth is going to happen to the rest of our bookshops if this is happening to Borders now? What can we do? I don’t have anything against New Look but there is already a flagship store in Marble Arch (unless they are downsizing and swapping sites), is our appetite for jazzy leggings so great that we need two branches of the same store in the same street at the expense of a bookshop? It’s all too sad!
17 July, 2009 @ 9:39 am
A bad turn of events, that's for sure. So sorry to hear this.
17 July, 2009 @ 9:53 am
I think they are moving their Head office as in.
The buying team is moving from Dorset to London so part of the shop will be offices – but I agree how many wet look leggings or jeggins can the High Street hold
17 July, 2009 @ 11:45 am
Oh no! Im gutted! I loved hanging out in Borders – it was my meeting place when in Oxford Street and having to meet people. The Thurrock Borders shut quite a while ago too and now this one, I hope that the large Waterstones in Picadilly dont follow suit.
17 July, 2009 @ 4:27 pm
Well, that is sad. Empty shelves are always sad. But I guess I'm happy that people were able to buy books on bargain.
17 July, 2009 @ 5:27 pm
There is never a need for more New Look stores!
Ever!
x
17 July, 2009 @ 5:36 pm
Yes I heard about this earlier this week and was gutted. I loved that branch, it had a lovely feel to it and I used to spend a good few hours pottering round leafing through magazines and books. I also just liked the idea that it was there. Very sad to hear that it is going. I didn't know it was happening this soon though; I was thinking in a few weeks.
17 July, 2009 @ 6:49 pm
Ondolady, me too, they could have given the news a chance to sink in! I do wonder if it's a similar thing to Woolworths though, lots of people getting all sentimental but…did we actually spend enough money in there or did we sit in Starbucks with a big pile of magazines and leave an hour later without buying anything?
Personally, I bought lots of mags there but not many books. I prefer to buy my books cheaper on Amazon, so I'm partly to blame I guess…
17 July, 2009 @ 7:58 pm
That is sad!
xx
18 July, 2009 @ 8:16 pm
I'm genuinely upset by this, it's the only place open on weekends that does good magazines!
20 July, 2009 @ 6:52 am
Oh this is sad! Looking forward on your next post. Hope to see more from you. Have a great day. =D
20 July, 2009 @ 9:24 am
Such a shame, that borders is one of the few shops I actually use on Oxford Street! Spent many a happy hour in there – and like Natty it was my favourite meeting place.
But seeing as there are at least two Uniqlos and three H&Ms on that stretch New Look can be forgiven for thinking one shop just isn't enough, and it's our own fault for spending all those hours browsing and not more time buying. It's a real shame though, I'll miss the calm of Borders in the storm that is an Oxford St shopping trip!
20 July, 2009 @ 4:22 pm
I never understood why Borders had two big stores right next to each other – I always frequented the one on Charing Cross Road since it had the bigger magazine collection. It's not that big a deal that this one's closing as long as the other stays open.
21 July, 2009 @ 8:57 am
No! I often pop to use their facilities and it is my unofficial library and study area. What a shame. Mind you the fashion section was great there wish I'd been around to snag a few books!
21 July, 2009 @ 9:03 am
Make Do, you must admit their 'facilities' were always shockingly shabby though so I won't miss those (Mamas & Papas is much nicer)…!
22 July, 2009 @ 4:05 pm
I went there the other day, looking for bargains on photography books….well the books were pretty much gone :(
22 July, 2009 @ 4:47 pm
I missed the whole sale and I work opposite the shop! Another New Look is not a great option. But all in all I am not surprised that Borders don't want a central London location/can't afford it, I can't remember when I bought a book from there last, it's usually amazon, play or second hand shop. Alternatively an independent book shop if I can't wait for a delivery. I went to see the sale, everything that's any good was moved to their other stores, mags were full price, some of the books left behind, even half price, were still more than buying online…
23 July, 2009 @ 12:20 pm
bargain time! sad but true to the times, and a great opportunity to fill my new rather sad looking shelves x
23 July, 2009 @ 2:23 pm
Noooo! That's awful! Only RD Franks around that way now! xx
24 July, 2009 @ 9:06 am
This is bad news for sure. Its good for New Look that they are moving to the capital but bad news for books. Libraries are under threat and now bookshops are closing. :-(
30 July, 2009 @ 1:31 am
A very sad state of affairs indeed. My two local Borders stores in NY (on Long Island) have seemed to be going downhill for a while now. They seem to have less and less books on the shelves (and less shelves) every time I stop in. A cafe and Paperchase section are wonderful, but they need to make sure to have books too!