Crowdfunding Bookstores

I was just thinking about this the other day.

I still love Barnes and Noble, but nowadays when I got there the selection of magazines I enjoy is sparse, and frankly I can read most of what I like online. And while I buy books over at Barnes pretty often, there's no need really. Amazon will deliver a book within days. But that's just me. I like the big corporate chain, because it means in most big cities I've got a big, beautiful and highly stocked bookstore to visit whenever I feel like chilling for a cup of coffee and a magazine. But times are hard over there. See WSJ, "Barnes & Noble Pulls Back After Losses In Tablet Wars." And while the company might not be going the way of Borders anytime soon, clearly its brick-and-mortor future is not so secure over time.

What to do? Well, I doubt Barnes will be turning to crowdfunding anytime soon, but some smaller bookstore sure are.

See NYT, "To Stay Afloat, Bookstores Turn to Web Donors."

Read it all at the link.

I'd be surprised if any bookstore's able to make that more than a one time deal. Sooner or later folks have to face market realities. Perhaps sad, but true.