About two weeks ago I was looking for two books I wanted to buy. Ordinarily, I would have just gone on line to Amazon.com and bought them but, I decided that I hadn't been inside an actual bookstore in ages so I'd go to the store instead. I quickly discovered that there are no bookstores in central Phoenix. Oh yes, there are a couple of used book stores and one or two specialty bookstores but no large ones close by. Not deterred, I set out to the far northern reaches of the city to a shopping center called Desert Ridge. An appropriate name since it sits on far northern border of the city with desert beyond. So, 25 miles later I found myself at a shopping center I've never shopped at before.
It was certainly attractively built with lots of covered spaces and In the photo above this sort of show place complete with a huge digital screen and a water feature. I found the books I wanted and a couple more too. There is good and bad in both on line shopping and in-store shopping. On line you just buy what you are looking for and have it sent and that's the end. In the store (especially a bookstore) you wander around and the next thing you know your arms are loaded with more than you came for. So I guess I'll have to decide before I shop. Do I want intellectually stimulating and budget busting or do I want to stay seated in front of my computer and stay in budget. Hmmm...decisions, decisions.
10 comments:
Indeed! Back in the '90s I used to go to the Barnes & Noble cafe every weekend for coffee. Invariably, I would buy books. They made so much money off me in those days!
Now, with Amazon, that browsing potential is lost and bookstores have suffered.
So kudos for going to a physical store -- it seems like a nice, attractive property!
Looks like an inviting place to shop, I like the colors and the structure in the second photo.
You are lucky to be able to find a book store that close. I used to enjoy a few hours of book shopping in Barnes & Noble quite often but it closed several years ago. It looks like an attractive shopping center.
I like the architecture here!
That's the dilemma & I do feel bad for bookstores as I like visiting them too but on line is so easy!
No come on Sharon, you can't go past the pleasure of perusing real books, and if you come away with more books than you intended how can that be a bad thing 😊
I never order books on line. Always go to a bookstore!
I can't remember the last time I've been to an actual bookstore. I get all my books from the online library now. There just isn't a big selection of English stuff here and when they do have what you want, it's with a hefty upcharge.
I love the look of this place though. I'd be willing to explore!
We go to charity shops for the novels, they're cheap plus we don't keep them but the hard to find books and the ones we want to keep, we buy online. No bookstores here in town but there are some in other towns and if we visit, we'll stop by the bookstore.
I do both. Amazon and real bookstores. Barnes and Noble is the most convenient to me in both Hartford and Naples, but I get excited when I come across an independent bookstore of quality. There is a great one in Madison, Connecticut, about 45 minutes south of me, that I have never visited in the 36 years I have been in Hartford. I should make a visit soon.
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