Closing Our Borders: Bookstore to Close in Fort Lee

About Town awoke to some very upsetting news the other day about a cherished Fort Lee friend, Borders. It seems that at the end of April, Borders in Fort Lee will be no more.

In order to regroup and re-organize, Borders  filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, it was widely reported this week, and on Thursday won bankruptcy court approval to liquidate 200 stores, according to multiple sources. Part of this restructuring includes the closing of four Borders stores in New Jersey: Fort Lee, Paramus, Freehold and Watchung.

About Town pines for the days when a bookstore was just a bookstore and didn’t need to be defined as independent, bricks and mortar, on-line, or second-hand. Borders began as the brainchild of two brothers (Tom and Louis Borders) who opened up a second-hand book store over 30 years ago in Ann Arbor, Michigan to serve the academic community and student body of the University of Michigan. It grew to rival, then dominate, Barnes & Noble as the premier bookstore in the country. Warehouses such as Costco, BJ’s and Sam’s Club elbowed in on their market share, but it was the popularity of electronic readers offered by Amazon (Kindle) and Barnes & Noble (Nook) that sealed their fate. The introduction of the iPad will only increase the popularity of reading electronically.

Wherever shall we go to feed our fix for the combined scent of glue and binding? Take the kids to story time parties? Get a quick birthday gift? Find a selection of local authors and those great staff suggestions? Meet a friend for coffee? Saddest of all is the fact that Borders was more than just a bookstore--it was a great community gathering place.

So where does that leave all of us avid readers who still enjoy the ritual of holding a book in our hands? There’s the Fort Lee Public Library which has a large selection of best sellers, biographies, and non-fiction. And there’s Barnes & Noble on River Road in the Edgewater Commons.

About Town went on a hunt for other bookstores and found some great ones in Bergen County. These places are worth hopping in the car for. If you know of other book stores in Bergen County, please share them with us, but here are a few to start:

 Acorns, A Children’s Bookshop, 32 Washington Street, Tenafly  Magical, inviting, warm, friendly—and that just describes the proprietor, Deborah Lancellotti, and her amazing staff. This boutique bookstore is all about children: the books, the programs, the special events. As a mom, you can’t walk into this store without feeling like Alice who’s just stepped through the looking glass—you feel like your falling backwards into the imaginative fantasies of your own childhood, so vivid and enticing are the furnishings. You’ll want to buy everything, not so much to satisfy your kids, but to satisfy some long forgotten part of yourself. Not only does Acorns have an incredible selection of children’s books and educational toys, but they have the most unique gifts for children that I have ever seen: boxed tea party sets, boxed cupcake plates, a section for aspiring cooks that includes cooking accessories and boxed sets of recipe flash cards. Deborah and her staff will even entertain your child while you look around. If you’re looking for something different for your child’s birthday Acorns has separate rooms for “Tea Parties” and “PowWow Parties”.  They also offer Sunday evening “Pajama Parties,” book clubs on Fridays and Saturdays, and Bingo on Thursday evenings. Please check out their website: www.acornsbookshop.com.

Womrath’s Bookstore, 12 Washington Street, Tenafly, 201-568-8857:  Founded in 1949 by Sgt. Harry Kutik, a staff sergeant permanently injured by 13 sniper bullets on the last day of WWII, Womrath’s is still family owned and run by Harry’s son, Bob Kutik. Having moved from its original Hackensack location to its current location in Tenafly, Womrath’s is a warm and inviting bookstore with something for the entire family. The front section is devoted to adult books, but the back of the store is entirely dedicated to children’s books, educational toys, and fun gifts. If you’re looking for a ladybug backpack to go with Eric Carle’s “The Grouchy Ladybug” book, you’ll find it here. If you want to get fancy with Fancy Nancy, Womrath’s has everything you need from books to boas. Best of all: Womrath’s is open Sundays! If you order books through their website, a portion of the proceeds goes towards The Sergeant Harry Kutik Fund established to assist returning disabled veterans. Support this local bookstore and our disabled veterans by ordering books at www.womraths.com.

Shaw’s Bookshop, 79 Westwood Ave, Westwood, 201-666-4484: Located in Westwood for 35 years, Shaw’s is a staple of Westwood’s vibrant downtown community. Proprietor Tom Downs greets every customer with a great big warm smile and a real interest in helping you find what you’re looking for. Talking with Tom reminded me of a time when conversation was an essential part of the shopping experience. Although the store is small, it has space dedicated to young children (as well as a section just for young adults) and all hardcover books, adults and children’s, are always 20% off. Tom told me that his main concern when he moved the store to its current location was that strollers could fit through the front doors and not be encumbered by any obstacles. Moms, can a store be more welcoming to us than that? Walk Westwood’s vibrant downtown, have a cup of coffee, and go visit Tom at Shaw’s.

Bookends, 211 East Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood

Who doesn’t like to walk the Avenue in Ridgewood? Great shops, great restaurants and one of the most well-know book stores in Bergen County. Bookends is number one when it comes to hosting author events. From the Jersey Shore’s JWOWW who was greeted by over 800 fans, to NY Housewife Bethany Frankel, to Sammy Hagar, Bookends gets both the hottest authors d’jour  in addition to the most established, best-selling authors. www.book-ends.com.

Books & Greetings, 271 Livingston Street, Northvale

The owner of Books & Greetings, Kenny, began his bookstore in New York City before bringing it to Bergen County and when you walk in you immediately feel like you’re in a New York City bookstore. It just has that kind of vibe. Books & Greetings also offers readings and book signings by best-selling children and adult authors. Jodi Picault will be there on March 6^th to sign her new book, Sing You Home. www.booksandgreetings.com.

So, if books are what you crave, these are some great places to check out. Hopefully, another book store will open soon in Fort Lee.