Locker Room Eavesdropping: The Borders Bankruptcy Saga

I was in the locker room at my local gym last night after an invigorating swim, getting ready to go home. When I’m in the locker room I usually try to get in and get out as fast as possible.

But as I was changing, I couldn’t help but overhear two guys with lockers close to mine talking about the downfall of Borders Booksellers. They lamented how sad it was that the chain had gone bankrupt (which I agree, it is sad). Then they listed, what they thought, were the reasons for Borders’ downfall:

1. Apple’s iPad

2. Ebooks in general

3. Amazon.com

I desperately wanted to tell them that they were wrong. Dead wrong. I wanted to tell them that Borders began their descent into bankruptcy back in the 90s. That it was a slow fall.

My general shyness in public, and my strict rule about not talking to other guys changing in the locker room, prevented me from saying anything. That, and I was in a hurry to get home. If I was a good promoter, however, I would have had a business card with this blog on it and I would have told them to read my blog.

While this was only one isolated incident, I do see it as further anecdotal evidence that people are blaming ebooks (and Amazon) for the fall of Borders. I’ve written many posts here about why Borders went belly-up.

Related Posts

• Borders Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
• Tales Of Bad Management At Borders
• How Borders’ Troubles Will Boost Ebook Sales
• A World Without Borders: The Long Road To Collapse
• Borders Facing Major Problems in 2011

Read More: Booksellers, eBooks, eReaders, Reading