Bye Bye Tower Records, are Bookstores Next?

Over at Blogspotting, Stephen Baker says nope, and I tend to agree.  Most of the big music stores I’ve seen were just that: music stores.  You went there to buy a CD and that was it.  The internet has changed that, and the reasons to buy CDs at a big-name national music store chain have gone away.

As Mr. Baker notes, bookstores have become places to hang out, not just to buy a book.  Barnes & Noble features Starbucks coffee shops.  Many bookstores have comfortable chairs or couches.  They’ve become a destination and not just a store.  That’s the key to remaining viable.  It’s like in Office Space:

People can get a cheeseburger anywhere, ok? They come to Chotchkie’s for the atmosphere and the attitude.

Bookstores with atmosphere and attitude will survive.  The sterile ones won’t.