Shoppers Throng to Borders Closeout Sales

Shoppers rushed to take advantage of close-out sales at Borders in South Shore Center over the long weekend, while lamenting the passage of a fixture in Alameda's culture.

The store is one of 200 that the national chain is closing as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. Besides offering a wide selection of new books and other media, the Alameda store hosted readings and live music.

"They were wonderful to us," said Nanette Bradley Deetz, whose group, Alameda Island Poetry, has been meeting weekly at the store for at least three years. "They bent over backwards to help the community. We're really sorry to see them go."

The loss of Borders leaves Alameda with at least seven other books stores. Bradley Deetz' group has already switched its meetings to Books Inc. at 1344 Park St.

Attracted by signs offering 20 to 40 percent discounts, customers swarmed through the store Monday, making lines to the cash register that snaked through the aisles. Once inside, they found lots of books for 20 percent off, but not much for a steeper discount.

"I've been standing here in line for a long time," said Johanna O'Donnell, 66, of San Leandro. "It wasn't worth it for only 20 percent off."

Bigger discounts will come as professional liquidators work through the store's inventory, said Mary Davis, a corporate spokesperson to whom a local manager referred all questions.  She said the store will close as soon it empties its shelves, but no later than the end of April.

Until then, it will continue to honor Borders Rewards Bucks credits which members can accumulate through purchases, and gift cards. The store will not honor the coupons that the chains dispenses through the Rewards program, however.

"I'm pissed," said one shopper who gave her name only as Virginia of Alameda. She said she had recently upgraded her Rewards membership and wanted to redeem coupons. "I asked them two or three weeks ago if they would be closing and they said they were one of the few stores that were doing well."

In fact the store was "underperforming," said Davis. She declined to specify what criteria the chain used making that determination. "We've enjoyed serving the many customers who have shopped with the store and hope they visit our other locations," she said.

The nearest Borders not slated for closing is in Emeryville (5903 Shellmound St.) Other options include San Francisco Stonestown, San Mateo, Pleasant Hill and San Rafael. But the stores in Fremont, San Ramon, Union City and Pleasanton are getting the axe, as well as two stores each in San Francisco and San Jose.

The Ann Arbor, MI, company has received a promise of $505 million in financing from GE Capital, Restructuring Finance, according to a Borders press release.

It hopes to emerge from bankruptcy as a "potentially vibrant, national retailer of books and other products," Borders Group President Mike Edwards said in the release.