It's the end of an era for those of us who grew up buying our books from giant book stores/coffee shops/home furnishings stores. Borders is going out of business, and though they had a great selection and fantastic deals, Jef With One F managed to find a few things we won't miss about the place.

Reader Celeste sympathized with our complaint about people sprawled on book store floors:

Not to harp on the wrong thing, but...went to a B&N last night near Rice Village and tripped over a ton of people sitting on the floor reading. One girl was huddled in a corner with her effing Kindle/Nook/whatever plugged in like a robot. One lady sprawled out in the aisle. I guess the Borders sitters have migrated...

Skot reflected on the significance of the passing book store in the face of online media:

Nice article, Jef. Very bitter sweet, like an obit. I am sorry to see them go, too, just as I lament the increasing prevalence of online book stores and ebooks. Guess I just need to sit on the porch on my rocking chair and nag at kids as they walk by.

And Laurie/laanba lamented the loss of customer service:

It is sad that people went out of their way to be ugly to the employees. I can't imagine going in and basically kicking someone when they are down.

I am as big an online advocate as the next guy but I do lament the loss of customer service that you mentioned in your last point. And Barnes and Noble is not going to have any real incentive to go out of their way because they are the only game in town for those people that want to walk the aisles of a real book store.