Liberty & Maynard

Funny how in the mid 70s, about a year before they went out of business, Wild’s Mens Wear redecorated their store with all new wood shelves and benches. Then they moved out, Borders moved in, and the wood fixtures became a Borders signature coast to coast. Where next for those shelves?

Those shelves were Wild’s? When I worked at BIS, there was only one Borders, but we serviced five, I think, other stores–Jocundry’s in East Lansing, Rollins in Kalamazoo, and three others I can’t remember (maybe Book Beat in Royal Oak was one?). Part of the deal they got was that they got a Borders-esque look and feel–the BIS team would supply shelves and benches and whatnot along with managing inventory. Apparently the Borders je ne sais quoi was distinct enough to be a commodity in itself.

Back in those days, Tommy Borders used to say they would never open a second store, that there was only one Borders. I guess BIS was their way of broadening things without expanding into a chain. When they pivoted a few years later and started opening stores, that style went along for the ride. I never knew Wild’s had anything to do with it.

I guess the Borders got the phone number of the Wild’s carpenter in the deal. I shopped at both stores (I liked Wild’s hats), that’s exactly as I remember it happening. Do you recall what happened to the Graphoscope the Borders had on the counter of the first store, did they sell it, or is it in a museum?

Hmm, I don’t remember a Graphoscope at all–I had to google to find out what one was. So I guess not. :) Lots of ex-Borders people reading the Chronicle though–maybe one of them knows.