Cecelia

Went to the Retail Rountable panel at the Urban Land Institute. One of the panelists gave a list of the types of stores that consumer surveys show to be most in demand. Bookstores topped the list. I think this would be unwise choice at this precarious point in Downtown Raleigh: you can go one of two ways with bookstores, a corporate chain or independently run. A corporately-owned bookstore is a soul-killing place, its anonymity and universal sameness running counter to the spirit of the books it houses. An independently-owned bookstore is a wonderful place, but is facing extinction - how many of them can you cite in the Triangle, more than three (Regulator, McIntyre's at Fearrington, and um.... right, case in point)? People don't appreciate smaller bookstores because they can go to the big book warehouses (B&N, Borders) and be instantly gratified finding the book they need. Smaller stores can special order, but people are impatient. But anyway, how are they supposed to maintain an enormous inventory the big box bookstores are driving them out of business? I think a bookstore of either persuasion is too risky for downtown.