Borders/Barnes and Noble?

[KCMax]

The Rainy Day Bookstore in Fairway closes at 6 - do they all close so early? I find that highly inconvenient.

[barkerr]

Actually, the idea mentioned earlier, about Rainy Day Books going in would be perfect.  It's well known in the area, they bring in great authors all the time, Very friendly staff, and they are local!  Throw in a nice coffee bar and you'd have the ideal urban bookstore.

This is a fantastic idea! Just perfect. Rainy Day IS a great bookstore with knowledgeable (and local) staff. It may be too good to be a possibility, since the rent is so high downtown. I love this store.

[chrizow]

my guess is that if Gates balked at the high rent, Rainy Day would as well. 

it would be great to have a regional-destination type of bookstore, but that isn't going to happen. 

[trailerkid]

Wouldn't the corner of 14th and Baltimore (adjacent to AMC) be a great spot for a bookstore? I know people thought a bookstore would go into the retail block, but this location makes just as much sense. It could serve as a south anchor for the retail block across the street as well as have a very good synergy with the movie theater next door.

A nice, urban bookstore could draw visitors all the way from Brookside if it offers a unique experience with a wide selection. They usually draw an educated clientele with disposable income that will probably spend money other places downtown. 

Also, Cordish should keep in mind Books-a-Million opened(opening?) a store in downtown Houston in the new Houston Pavillions development. Borders would still be my choice...

[dangerboy]

Haven't they given up on the book store?

[trailerkid]

Haven't they given up on the book store?

I think that'd be foolish. I truly think it'd be a very nice destination and WOULD be a great draw for the urban core. Less party bars...more readers.

[KCPowercat]

I hope they haven't given up on a bookstore.

I think the spot midblock to the north of the alley has always looked like a bookstore location...but that building right on the corner would work too.

[KCMax]

I hope they haven't given up on a bookstore.

I think the spot midblock to the north of the alley has always looked like a bookstore location...but that building right on the corner would work too.

I'll look into opening one. How much would one cost?

[Gretz]

I would tend to think that a bookstore is unlikely too, at least in the near future.  I remember reading something six months or a year ago about B&N or Borders closing a couple of it's big downtown stores in Minneapolis and somewhere else.  Both were located in high-profile urban nodes in cities with downtown renaisannces further along than ours and they couldn't make it.  I think one might be able to work in P&L but only if there is enough other retail to bring sufficient traffic to the area on evenings, weekend days.  It seems like with the entire retail block its probably an all or nothing deal as far as establishing it as a day and evening shopping destination.  A bookstore isn't going to sign on if they don't have most of the space filled with appealing tenants that will draw in people, good retailers won't come unless there are daytime anchors like a bookstore or department store etc.  Chicken or egg.  Hopefully once the retail climate improves and we have more residents downtown things will improve.  I'm pretty sceptical that we'll be seeing much at all in the way of retail for a while yet though.

[trailerkid]

I would tend to think that a bookstore is unlikely too, at least in the near future.  I remember reading something six months or a year ago about B&N or Borders closing a couple of it's big downtown stores in Minneapolis and somewhere else.  Both were located in high-profile urban nodes in cities with downtown renaisannces further along than ours and they couldn't make it.  I think one might be able to work in P&L but only if there is enough other retail to bring sufficient traffic to the area on evenings, weekend days.  It seems like with the entire retail block its probably an all or nothing deal as far as establishing it as a day and evening shopping destination.  A bookstore isn't going to sign on if they don't have most of the space filled with appealing tenants that will draw in people, good retailers won't come unless there are daytime anchors like a bookstore or department store etc.  Chicken or egg.  Hopefully once the retail climate improves and we have more residents downtown things will improve.  I'm pretty sceptical that we'll be seeing much at all in the way of retail for a while yet though.

How do you explain Sundance Square in Fort Worth or 4th Street Live in Louisville? Both have large, chain book stores will little to no expanded retail surrounding them. Bookstores go hand in hand with restaurants, theaters, and nightlife spots as they generate a good amount of traffic in the evening hours opposed to apparel stores.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Unless Jos. A Books has started selling books, I don't think there is a bookstore coming. 

I wonder if they would apply the same pricing strategy as the clothes - Stephen King, Regular price $75 now on sale for 60% off!

[KCTigerFan]

Both of the bookstores you mentioned struggle financially and generally receive near free rent.  I am a huge proponent of a bookstore, but the reality is they generally struggle in downtowns.

How do you explain Sundance Square in Fort Worth or 4th Street Live in Louisville? Both have large, chain book stores will little to no expanded retail surrounding them. Bookstores go hand in hand with restaurants, theaters, and nightlife spots as they generate a good amount of traffic in the evening hours opposed to apparel stores.

[beautyfromashes]

With no coffee shop now in the district, it seems a bookstore would have an even better chance of succeeding. 

[chrizow]

With no coffee shop now in the district, it seems a bookstore would have an even better chance of succeeding. 

according to kctigerfan, latteland has not actually backed out...

[beautyfromashes]

according to kctigerfan, latteland has not actually backed out...

If I were Cordish, I'd dump Latteland.  A bookstore would sell in a second if you guaranteed them sole coffee rights.

[GRID]

Both of the bookstores you mentioned struggle financially and generally receive near free rent.  I am a huge proponent of a bookstore, but the reality is they generally struggle in downtowns.

Especially when we already have one 3-4 miles away on the plaza.  How many cities have two major urban core bookstores?

If one did go downtown, it would probably kill the plaza location.

Till there are more people living downtown and we get more jobs down there, coridish really has their hands tied IMO when it comes to basic retail. 

They should just concentrate on entertainment, they are doing great with that.

[NDTeve]

Especially when we already have one 3-4 miles away on the plaza.  How many cities have two major urban core bookstores?

If one did go downtown, it would probably kill the plaza location.

Till there are more people living downtown and we get more jobs down there, coridish really has their hands tied IMO when it comes to basic retail. 

They should just concentrate on entertainment, they are doing great with that.

Or vice versa.

[KCPowercat]

I think one downtown wouldn't touch the plaza's business.

More people come with more amenities like bookstores

[GRID]

I'm not sure a downtown bookstore would survive even if the plaza store closed.
What would probably happen is a downtown store would take just enough from the plaza store to knock it out of business, then the downtown store would eventually close leaving the city with none, for a while, till a new plaza stored opened again....

[NDTeve]

I'm not sure a downtown bookstore would survive even if the plaza store closed.
What would probably happen is a downtown store would take just enough from the plaza store to knock it out of business, then the downtown store would eventually close leaving the city with none, for a while, till a new plaza stored opened again....

Bingo.