A2: Borders Books

CNN publishes a lengthy piece about the trajectory of the Borders bookstore chain, from its early days as a single college-town shop, its culture, its growth into a national powerhouse, and its ultimate demise – the No. 1 flagship store on East Liberty closes today. The article quotes University of Michigan history professor Jonathan Marwil: “Borders used to be chockablock with books. It has increasingly looked less like a bookstore than a bowling alley, with its wide-open spaces. Now they’re selling children’s dolls on the front counter. It’s really pretty grim.” [Source]