The Sad Demise Of Bookstores

The Playground Of Possibility And Dating?

I write this with great sadness. It now requires a twenty-minute drive for me to visit the nearest bookstore. I’m lucky to pay a visit once a month.

Despite the ubiquitous availability of ebooks and audiobooks, there’s something special about a physical book. Perhaps it’s the concreteness, the touch or the substance. Maybe the sight of all those books triggers the feeling of limitless possibility.

What can I learn? Which fantasy fiction can I lose myself? What might I discover that will change my worldview or challenge my worldview? Of course, in today’s world we only seek out information that confirms our existing beliefs. That’s a story for another day.

Twenty years ago, I read about the decline of the independent bookstore. The big evil behemoths swallowed them whole, undercutting them on price and blowing them away with their massive selection. Most lamented that development.

I hate to admit this, but I always loved the monster sized bookstores, even when they were hated. You could spend an entire day browsing, sipping on coffee and leave a few hours later, paying only $7 for a paperback and $1.50 for coffee. Back then, it was a better deal than going to the movies. I guess it still is.

When I lived in New York City, I used to stop by a B&N superstore on my way home from work. I did this a few times a week. I’d spend an hour browsing through books. I’d sit in the café, reviewing my selections. I had a dual purpose on these visits. The cafe was an excellent place for me to meet women. I even scored a few dates there, more than I ever did at a bar.

Perhaps that’s why I have such fond memories. Tinder had not yet existed, and other dating sites were still in their infancy. We had to find dates the old-fashioned way: setup by friends or family or ask someone out in person.

There was an unspoken procedure in these bookstore cafes. Everyone seemed to understand it as though it were an instinctual process born out of evolution. If there were someone you wanted to approach, you would…

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