This is hard times on bookstores within the past year and a half several stores have shut down. especially in malls. However I figure that Barnes And Noble and Borders will continue to thrive.

Sure mom and pop stores will come and go but that is to be expected

The problem in my opinion is the lack of discretionary funds.  The price of living keeps going up, the cost of electricity is set to soar and the value of things people own like houses have dropped.  It's just getting harder to live without a big paycheck and getting the education to get the bigger paycheck is getting prohibitively expensive.

It's just a bad situation all over.  The more physical stores close, the fewer jobs.  The fewer jobs, the fewer consumer dollars to spend.  Inflation is being promoted by the Fed right now but that's going to make things worse for the working poor overall.  It's just bad times and they're going to get worse.

More BS hype.  The market is simply changing.  Stores that adapt stay, those that don't close.  We had 3 stores close in my area and 4 open in the last 2 years.  Net gain. 

They were nashing their teeth, beating their chests and ripping there hair out over the certain and total end of the music industry just a few years ago because of eMusic.   

Things change and people adapt.  Try finding a typewriter store these days.....