21–30 of 197 posts
TIL Barnes and Noble still exists. I haven't seen one in what feels like a decade.
B&N is surprisingly one of the few private establishments available in the US for the simple pleasure of going in for a nice sit without feeling an obligation to purchase something. Would be a shame to see them go.
I really hope I don't read any articles a few years from now about Barnes and Noble filing for bankruptcy after being crushed by the immense debt of a leveraged buyout...
> after being crushed by the immense debt of a leveraged buyout $680M is in the realm of a cash transaction for a hedge fund, and indeed, if you look at their SEC filing (below), this is an all-cash transaction. Expect aggressive cost-cutting from Elliot (BNs around me seem to be well staffed with lots of people standing around with little to do - so layoffs likely in the future) but the store itself should be able t…
So, before we doom and gloom about B&N, it's important to remember that independent bookstores are doing great! https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/why-independent-bookstores-haved-... So why is Barnes and Nobles struggling? A couple of important points: Their inventory and footprint IS HUGE. Large inventory with low turnover is a margin-killer in retail. And I doubt they make much money off the books in their shelves - real…
That's understandable, but a bit of a bummer. Part of the joy of B&N is being able to just go and browse--finding something you didn't know you were looking for.
With it downsized, I imagine we'll get something closer to the bookstore at an airport: nothing but the most recent Tom Clancy novels and such.
I suppose the best-case scenario would be like your neighborhood comic book store, where you can place the order and B&N would ship it to store from one of their warehouses.
I really hope I don't read any articles a few years from now about Barnes and Noble filing for bankruptcy after being crushed by the immense debt of a leveraged buyout...
The story reports that the same company recently bought a British bookseller, and managed to turn a company with losses into a company with profits, so hopefully they can do they same with Barnes and Noble.
I really hope I don't read any articles a few years from now about Barnes and Noble filing for bankruptcy after being crushed by the immense debt of a leveraged buyout...
> after being crushed by the immense debt of a leveraged buyout $680M is in the realm of a cash transaction for a hedge fund, and indeed, if you look at their SEC filing (below), this is an all-cash transaction. Expect aggressive cost-cutting from Elliot (BNs around me seem to be well staffed with lots of people standing around with little to do - so layoffs likely in the future) but the store itself should be able t…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> after being crushed by the immense debt of a leveraged buyout $680M is in the realm of a cash transaction for a hedge fund, and indeed, if you look at their SEC filing (below), this is an all-cash transaction. Expect aggressive cost-cutting from Elliot (BNs around me seem to be well staffed with lots of people standing around with little to do - so layoffs likely in the future) but the store itself should be able t…
Unless I'm mistaken, this is just saying that the fund purchased B&N with cash. That doesn't mean they haven't taken on debt to do so.
So, before we doom and gloom about B&N, it's important to remember that independent bookstores are doing great! https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/why-independent-bookstores-haved-... So why is Barnes and Nobles struggling? A couple of important points: Their inventory and footprint IS HUGE. Large inventory with low turnover is a margin-killer in retail. And I doubt they make much money off the books in their shelves - real…
There are far fewer shelves of books now. Of the books they do have, they are optimized for profit -- ranging from best sellers, new books by genre, and those few books from big authors that sell year over year.
Most of these books are now trade paperback instead of mass market paperback. I go in needing to get Tom Sawyer and the only option they have is $15.95.
They took the computers out where I could look up a book.
If I manage to find a series of books I want, there is a good chance the first book in the series is missing, since that is the most likely to be purchased. I could then ask at the counter, where they'll tell me they can order it for me.
The shelves themselves have fewer, larger books -- many place front cover out -- occupying fewer shelves. There is just no hunt left in B&N anymore. There is no discovery of something from the back catalog.
TIL Barnes and Noble still exists. I haven't seen one in what feels like a decade.
B&N is surprisingly one of the few private establishments available in the US for the simple pleasure of going in for a nice sit without feeling an obligation to purchase something. Would be a shame to see them go.
Could explain why they aren't very profitable and why they might be going by the wayside.