All U.K. Borders book stores to close before Christmas
This morning I received a member’s newsletter in my Inbox to notify me of a closeout sale happening in the U.K. at the moment.
Borders U.K. Closeout Sale Email
Am I the only one who got the news about Borders book stores closing all of its stores in the U.K. three weeks after it was announced?!
How, pray, did this happen?
Did they get squeezed out because Britons prefer to buy from the larger British brands like WH Smith and Waterstones, or is their impending collapse due to bad financial management? Or is it a bit of both? To run out of cash and put over 1,100 people out of jobs before christmas is really something!
Though the U.K. sans 45-stores would mean that book buyers will now flock to WH Smith’s 560 stores, 400 Travel Units and Waterstone’s 303 stores. (Wikipedia) However, before that these two chains will have to face the music of low christmas sales instead of chirpy carols!
They are even selling their fixtures, fittings and equipment on Borders.co.uk
Borders.co.uk on December 19th, 2009
Really, this is quite a depressing sight.
Thankfully, this isn’t a global brand collapse but a U.K. franchisee’s. I can’t imagine a world without Borders book stores and while I feel most sorry for the people who will lose their jobs, I’m glad that the folding won’t directly affect all the other Borders the world over!
