5.07.2005

What is it with me and Waldenbooks?

I must be some kind of a jinx for Waldenbooks stores. I mean, take a look at this history:

  • The Waldenbooks closest to where I lived in Ithaca -- at the local mall, which I visited frequently -- closed down several years ago. That left the closest one 60 miles away, in Syracuse.
  • The first 16 months I was in Virginia Beach, I lived within a couple miles of a free-standing Waldenbooks on Laskin Road, in the Promenade Shops. It was nice and convenient and I bought quite a few books there. It closed either just before I moved or just after, I forget exactly when.
  • I've been in my house for about a year and a half. There's another nice free-standing Waldenbooks about a mile away, just off Kempsville Road. Yesterday I stopped by to use a Buy 4 Get One Free coupon -- and found the store plastered with signs that they're closing, and everything is on sale. They've lost their lease, and haven't found a place to go yet.
I fear for the store in MacArthur Center. I shopped there frequently, when I worked in downtown Norfolk. So if they put up a Going Out of Business sign, it's probably my fault. I can only hope that by losing my job, my absence from that Waldenbooks will give it a reprieve from my bad bookstore karma.

2 comments:

DrHeimlich said...

They're closing that Kempsville Waldenbooks? Wow.

I guess I'm sort of surprised it lasted as long as it did, though. It seems like free-standing Waldenbooks (and B. Dalton's) had already closed just about everywhere in favor of Barnes & Nobles, MediaPlays, and Border's.

Major Rakal said...

Yeah, and I'm sure it's no coincidence that Borders owns Waldenbooks. One big mall in Syracuse NY used to have a Borders, a Waldenbooks, and a Brentano's (also owned by them). First they closed the Brentano's, then later the Waldenbooks, leaving te only store of the three that didn't have a preferred reader discount card.

The Kempsville store is going to be torn down, I was told, to make way for a Ruby Tuesday's. As if there isn't already a restaurant or three in every block in Virginia Beach.