Ames Borders Customers Sad to See Store Close

Borders' shelves emptied slowly one after another. Cafe merchandise had been stacked and marked for sale. Customers from West Des Moines came to use their gift cards.

No one could say when Ames only “new” chain book store is closing, but it's going, going, gone, a casualty of the national chain's bankruptcy. Borders filed for bankruptcy in February. Liquidation of all stores began July 22 and is expected to be complete by the end of September, according to a press release from the company.

Local employees weren't allowed to speak to media about the matter, but regular customers like Bev McMahon, Ames, who left the store Wednesday said they were sad to see one of their favorite places go.

McMahon said she shopped at the store at least twice a month. The timing was dependent on the coupons she received. She was a member of the store's buying club.

“I'll probably go to discount store's like Wal-Mart and Sam's Club,” McMahon shrugged.

She reads mysteries, something she might find at discount stores. But Paul Axiotis, Ames, said he's not sure where he will find books by 1920s horror author, H. P. Lovecraft. Other local retailers just don't have the same variety as a regular book store, he said.

“I loved the store. I like the book store's atmosphere,” Axiotis said.

Marilyn Doyle, of Ellsworth, said she regularly drove 25 miles to the store at least once a month. She bought children's books, travel books, books on religion, politics and art. The next closest new-book store, that doesn't sell only college text books, is in Des Moines, a 50-mile drive for Doyle.

Customers here hoped that a Books-a-Million would come in its place, but The Christian Science Monitor reports that negotiations between the Borders and Books-a-Million chain fell through.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the remaining leases might be sold off.

There is no word on what will happen to the Borders space. It's the third new-book store to close in Ames. Both a Waldenbooks and a Hastings Books have closed in the last five years.

Jason Daub, of Nevada, who owns Firehouse Books and Movies on Kellogg Street, said the closing may be good for him. Each time a major retailer has closed, his used book store has seen a slight jump in business.

The used book store has been around for at least 15 years. Daub bought it five years ago. About 35,000 used books sit on the shelves but he can order new and rare titles for customers who ask.

“I guess I don't know what will happen we've always had a big chain in town,” Daub said.