The Shop Around the Corner

This week, Borders announced that they will be selling the store to a liquidator and would be closing after 40 years. In all fairness, it's not something that us employees were shocked by. Borders declared backruptcy last year and closed 200 some of the 600 some stores, leaving about 400 open. eReaders have done considerable damage in the world of books, just as Netflix and Redbox have done their part to force Hollywood Video into liquidation and Blockbuster video into bankruptcy.



All I can think about, though, is Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail, so sad about her "little shop" closing because the "big" chain around the corner put her out of business. It's weird, because we're the big store.

Although I've only been back in Borders a short time after a stint a couple years ago, I've always fully enjoyed working there. I always say I have two jobs, but I only enjoy one...and Borders is it. It's such a relaxed place to work, and also intellectually stimulating, and we've made strong friendships within each other. I don't think there is any retail job that can possibly be more relaxing.

But, now we have signs like these plastered all over the store. Giant signs hanging off the cielings in several places, at least one %off sign every 4 feet, all sales final, no checks, etc.



This is a sad time for all of us, employees and customers alike. This time is, however, made harder with some customers who fail to put things in perspective so, in the interest of all 11,000 Borders employees who are about to lose their jobs, I ask you to please remember a few things as you come through the final sales and get your good deals:

We understand that you may have paid to upgrade your card with us and are now upset that you are out $20. We have no control over this, and please remember that your $20 is a small inconvenience--we would gladly trade your $20 for our jobs.

Although we appreciate that you are sorry we are closing and you may be generally interested in what we, individually, are now planning to do with our umemployed lives, we can only hear such things so many times in the day before we get frustrated. It's kind of like when you make comments like "Wow, you're only 6 months?!" and "Wow, you're huge!" to a pregnant woman--it's good natured, but when you look back on it you realize it's really not a compliment. Plus, it's depressing.

We don't know what day, specifically, we will be closing. We don't know when the sales will be changing. We no longer have the ability to use coupons or give discounts of any kind. Everything is now under control of the company that bought us, and we have zero say in what we do or don't do. It's kind of like being held captive.

Generally, please just remember that although our closing is getting you amazing deals, it's also taking the livelihoods of thousands of people. And don't be a dick.