Paul Constant, the book editor of the Stranger, got a tour of the new “Concept Borders” store in Seattle and shares his thoughts in his piece “The Future is Behind us Now.”
Constant uses a simple litmus test to determine the quality of a bookstore. If it stocks any novels by Stanley Elkin then ” it’s a sign of all-around quality” and is a place he would happily spend some time. There was no Elkin to be had at the new “Concept Borders” store. Strike one.
During his visit to this new “behemoth temple to commerce” Constant was escorted by Tim Anderson, Borders’ zone director for the West Coast who detailed the new concept, a combination of the “online experience with the retail experience,” that is “the future of this company.”
What exactly is the concept behind the new “Concept Borders” model? Well, computers and televisions. There are computers to burn music, ones to print recipes, others to make travel plans and ones to make photo albums. Basically, Constant says “it’s a crappy version of the internet, only with a lot of annoying restrictions.” Constant adds “Unfortunately, the future for Borders is about five years ago for everyone else.” Strike two.
Anderson admits that Borders is targeting the baby boomer generation and others who might “need a friendly face” to help them navigate the technology. Interestingly enough, though Constant was unimpressed the other reporter on the tour was captivated. It was as if she “believes that Borders has just invented the concept of an audio book” says Constant.
All this has little to do with books and with televisions blurting out episodes of “Borders TV” in every section where Anderson says “People can really interact with Borders TV” we have Strike Three!
Borders Concept Store media room
A Flickr set of a new “Concept Borders” store