Borders says they are no longer for sale....

We are of two minds about this, first, great news. It mean Ann Arbor's independent bookstore is gonna make a go of today's ailing economy AS an independent, no doubt many employees are thrilled today. The other mind is that quite simply nobody would buy them when they were listing themselves for sale every week for the last few months. If they simply don't have the equity or products in warehouse and in store somebody would want to buy, how good of a go are they gonna make?. There is, of course the underlying problem that George Jones still runs the show and Mr. Jones hasn't exactly lit the fire under Borders to propel them to success or cut a viable deal.

We hope everyone there keeps their jobs and rides this out. Johnny has a lot of good friends at 100 Phoenix. I know there are some bright book business minds in there who truly love the field they are in. Trouble is they keep getting thwarted by the George Jones' in the company. Borders stock was trading under a dollar earlier this week for a short while, it wasn't the merch group or the buyers who did that, it was the higher ups.

Time for a change at the top at Borders we think...

James Taylor will appear at Borders on October 2, 7pm

James Taylor will be bringing his heavy metal head thrashing sound to the downtown Borders on October 2. He'll be there at 7pm and no entry info has yet been announced.

Taylor is expected to perform songs from his recent 'Covers' CD.

Good news, kinda sorta, for Borders

Well, OK while sales are down, the losses are way down too. Borders reported out a loss of 9.2 million BUT down from 25.1 million this time a year ago. Yes, sales are down, down 3% but that's not that uncommon these days. Hopefully, the new Super Stores will become a part of the collective book and E-products mind across America.

We gotta pull hard for local businesses ya know...

Borders with BIG layoffs today

156 of them. Johnny HAD this news earlier, along with other news coming down the pipeline, but didn't run it out of deference to moles inside Borders.

So, today 156 of your friends and neighbors pay for the incompetence of George Jones and the Borders Board of Directors. Well played George, how you still have a job is beyond us. Near as we can tell all you do is send out a yearly report begging for your cronies to be revoted to the board. Gee, and we wonder why layoffs are necessary.

There is more to this story coming...

James Taylor will perform at the downtown Borders on June 5. That being said...UPDATE

A hat tip to Mr Steve Pierce for hipping us to the fact this shindig has been cancelled. We could take credit for it but won't. Also you can forget the rest of this fine post except for the Borders idiot savant leadership part

Get this, all the great live performances Borders has held in house have been free. This time you need a wristband which you can get beginning at 9 am on June 5th. Here's the rub and it's a big one---you have to BUY James Taylor's new CD to get a wristband so you can go upstairs and hear the mini concert.

OK, first off, LAME. We realize James Taylor and Borders CAN do this, it doesn't make it any less lame. Secondly, what if you want to go shop for music when the 1 pm concert is going on? Are you not even allowed upstairs to shop for music and DVD's?

Look we realize the upper management has failed the company for years (this means YOU George Jones and your merry band of idiot savant board members) but this really sends a bad message. Is this the first of many "you must buy the CD before you can go upstairs" moments?

Shopping at Borders is fun, they have game in those stacks, and James Taylor is a talented guy who we like, we just think this idea is right from the song "the Last DJ" by Tom Petty:

As we celebrate mediocrity all the boys upstairs want to see
How much you’ll pay for what you used to get for free

Another big time star to perform FREE at Borders, this time it's Jewel!

That's right, you needn't be from Alaska or have the abilty to yodel to enjoy the song stylings of Jewel, you can head over to Borders, THIS THURSDAY, at 4 pm at Borders downtown store, 612 E. Liberty. It's totally FREE but the good folks at Borders say get there early as space to see Jewel will fill up fast.

Jewel will be performing songs from her new country music CD entitled 'Perfectly Clear'.

Noted Chef Bobby Flay to make in store appearance at Borders

That's right foodies, Chef Bobby Flay will be signing copies of his new book "Bobby Flay's Grill It!", at the new Borders concept store in the Waters Place shopping center (think Best Buy and Joe's Crab Shack) on Lohr Rd. on May 12.

Flay is on almost every show on the Food Network, including "Boy Meets Grill", "Iron Chef America" and "Throwdown with Bobby Flay."

Bobby Flay wouldn't last a minute in the throwdown with Johnny's spice rubs, nosiree. Rachael Ray and Giada would be choosing Johnny's pork spice rub in a New York minute.

According to Borders that new concept store is going great guns

It's SO NICE to have a good economic story to run with especially about a local company. "It's running substantially ahead of our plans,'' George Jones, Borders CEO. The new concept store in the Waters Place on Lohr Rd. (Think Best Buy, and Joe's Crab Shack) opened on February 14th.

"We are absolutely thrilled with the reaction we're getting from customers, and that's what it's all about".

This now qualifies as the Business Section of your Sunday Paper.

Borders gets ready to bring you the store of the future---TOMORROW

That's right fans of books, a closely guarded secret, the Borders Concept store opens tomorrow for all your futuristic shopping needs. The NEW Borders (Ann Arbor's preeminent bookstore) Concept store opens at 9am and is located off of Lohr Rd alongside Kohl's, Best Buy and Linens-N-Things in the Waters Place Shopping Plaza.

The festivities will begin with a ribbon cutting ceremony and then book and video and music fans, get ready to be blown away. Johnny has a mole he's been talking to and this place will be all that and a bag of chips.

The store will have a digital center where people can make custom CDs with the help of Borders staff or all on their own. They can also buy a digital camera there, learn how to turn their digital pics into books or publish their own book. Maybe taking those pictures and researching your family tree suit you, Borders has partnered with Ancestor.com and Shutterfly to help you do just that. All this and much much more.

Borders CEO George Jones has said another dozen or so concept stores will open around America in 2008.

Are ya ready? Can ya stand it?

Good news for Borders, Washtenaw County's preeminent bookstore

Borders Books and Music announced an increase in holiday sales of 3.9%. Borders Group Chief Executive Officer George Jones (not the country singer) made the announcement yesterday. Jones continued with more value added out of the box business speak:

"We delivered on our promise to improve comp store sales performance this holiday season compared to last year in all of our business segments"

Good news for a local business? YCD says fine by us.

Borders to launch in store TeeVee

Ann Arbor and Ypsi's preeminent bookstore, Borders is about to team up with Ripple, no not the cheap alcohol from the 70's, but Ripple in store TeeVee.

Borders TV (I want my Borders TV) will debut in 60 stores soon and it will be up and running in 250 stores by February. The network will feature news and entertainment from local markets as well as "Borders Live at 01" and "Borders Presents."