Was disappointed to learn today that the Barnes & Noble Bookstore, on Thomas Jefferson and M Streets, NW, in the heart of Washington, DC, is closing, December 31. An H & M superstore will be taking over the space. Just what Washington, DC needs -- another H & M. Since April, it seems that most DC bookstores have closed: all Borders Books & Music, before that, Olsens Books & Music, Bartlesby Books... After the Barnes & Noble Bookstores (including the downtown Bethesda store) close, we will have the downtown B & N, good old Kramerbooks, and Bridge Street Books, next to the Four Seasons. Bridge Street's owner owns his little federalist period building, so Bridge Street Books won't close.... We will also have Georgetown U's and George Washington U's bookstores, and that's all...for this big city... There is nothing more pleasurable for me, than to browse the Barnes & Noble shelves, with my dogs (known by name, by most of the bookstore staff), and discovering wonderful books and authors, that I might not have otherwise found, browsing on line... And what a joy it is to smell and touch, and read, a brand new book. ... Both eBooks and paper books have places in our lives; one does not preclude the other... If you write to Barnes & Noble, or the Washington Post, about the closing of almost the last big bookstore in DC, it might save your bookstores, where you live, dear reader. Please write to: editor@washpost.com.Save Barnes & Noble, bricks and mortar stores!!!!
Annie
