Here's an interesting story on Border's new future of the bookstore that appeared in yesterday's USA Today. The concept store is based heavily on digital. Read the full story at:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2008-02-13-borders-downloads_N.htm
The first concept store opens today - the list of other concept stores opening this year is towards the bottom of this piece. Perhaps we can arrange a trip to check it out and see what we can replicate? Perhaps a member or two could check it out for us and give us a report back? Maybe someone from this initiative would be willing to talk to our group at Innovate? What would it take for us to help create such a concept store in the college store industry? All just thoughts.
It is a very interesting read though - and seems to be on the right track. I think what is interesting about some of their concepts is that we have been talking about some of these things - from POD, to becoming that hub for knowledge, entertainment and digital downloading. These are all ideas we (and others) have bounced around in the past couple years, but they have gone ahead and implemented them. Several of these ideas appear in the proposed report from the digital content taskforce which is a reassuring sign that perhaps we are moving in the right direction. At least we have an opportunity to learn from the Border's experience before trying any of these things on our own.
If you happen to see follow-up stories on this that I miss, I would be interested in seeing them. I would also be interested in hearing your ideas about what stores or NACS could do to increase experiementation. If we were to create a digital concept store, what would it look like? Do you think Border's idea is a move in the right direction?
BORDERS' CONCEPT STORES
Here are the 13 other concept stores Borders plans this year:
California: Alameda (San Francisco area) Alameda Towne Center Mira Loma (Los Angeles) Eastvale Gateway Mall National City (San Diego area) Westfield Shoppingtown Plaza Bonita
Colorado: Park Meadows (Denver) Park Meadows Mall
Connecticut: Southbury Southbury Plaza
Florida: Panama City Beach Pier Park
Indiana: Noblesville (Indianapolis area) Hamilton Town Center
Louisiana: Baton Rouge Mall of Louisiana New Orleans free-standing store in the Garden district
Massachusetts: Wareham (Boston area) Wareham Crossing
Nevada: Las Vegas Las Vegas Town Square
Texas: Allen (Dallas area) Watters Creek at Montgomery Farms
Washington: Tukwila (Seattle area) Westfield Southcenter Mall
Source: Borders, as reported in USA Today
