Borders Plans to Encourage Book Club Gatherings

Posted on March 17, 2010

The Chicago Tribune reports that Borders has a new plan to get readers into its bookstores. Borders plans to encourage readers to hold book group gatherings inside its stores. The Tribune says Borders wants its bookstores to become more of a gathering place.

Signs and posters telling shoppers to bring their book group to the store have gone out from corporate headquarters in Ann Arbor, Mich., to Borders' 507 outposts, including 18 stores in the Chicago area, said Mary Davis, spokesman for the chain. Borders' Chicago flagship on North Michigan Avenue, which is slated to close next year, already has hosted a few private book clubs in its third-floor event space.
"We're encouraging stores to reach out to the public to say, "We're here,'" Davis said. "It's a way to drive traffic to the stores."

It sounds like a good plan. Many Borders stores now have cafes serving Seattle's Best coffee and plenty of chairs and tables for people to hang out. We saw some some ladies playing gin rummy at a Borders store the other day. Borders would be wise to also welcome writers' groups.