Barnes & Noble

Remember when Barnes & Noble was the enemy? It was considered the big box Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, crushing mom and pop bookstores in its path. That was before Amazon aimed its proton packs at B&N, and now we’re rooting for the chain’s survival. In many places, it’s about the only brick and mortar location left where you can, you know, LOOK AT BOOKS.

There’s a lot to like about Barnes & Noble. Sometimes you want to buy, not order, a book. To have it in your hands when you pay for it. Even if you decide to purchase a book online, it’s good to get a look at it first, to determine its value to you. B&N has a pretty good cafe in every store. And with music, magazines, games, et. al., it’s still a place that can save the shopper a lot of time.

Is Barnes & Noble perfect? Oh heavens, no. But is it the Great Satan of the bookselling business? No. If you love books, it’s still a pretty great place. Would it be better if it coexisted with locally owned neighborhood bookstores? Of course. Would it be better if it went away entirely? No. No way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBdRwwQvmPU