Borders Books Bankruptcy Closes San Francisco Westfield Store And Cafe

Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbUPYuY2SpE.

The Borders Books Bankruptcy has a claimed a major casuality. It caused the closure of the San Francisco Westfield Store And Cafe in Union Square, San Francisco. Well, more accurately, it's in the process of closing, with major discounts on books, magazines, and everything else, just to clear the inventory.

Sadly, that means no more Boarders Cafe, (called SBC Cafe) where people would meet, or work, or meet and work or study over a cup of coffee or tea. It's really too bad that the cafe had to go as part of the closure. It was the only Internet Cafe in Union Square - at least the only one that was nice, clean, and comfortable. The best part: the overstuffed chairs. Just like the one's in your living room. (Well, at least mine.)

The cafe also gave life to the otherwise sterile place that Westfield Mall can be. It's certainly nice and modern, but it's also a people-mill. Folks go in to get something, then leave. A modern shopping center can and should have places of rest. If you look at it from a business standpoint, it makes the place a destination. Sales of goods and services will certainly improve as a result.

But I digress.

I contend that Boarders could and should have seen the coming of the Internet as a distribution system and altered their business model to use it.

Still, with one empty space comes the opportunity for a new business to fill it. Hopefully Westfield ads a new Internet cafe.