Books-A-Million on Memorial Rd Closing

[MikeOKC]

A very good bookstore, with a far above average newsstand, Books-A-Million on Memorial Road is closing. I always wondered how they stayed in business with so few customers, but I also wondered why they didn't have customers. They carried many more titles in-store than Barnes and Noble down the street, had a newsstand of newspapers and magazines probably twice as big as B&N and J. Muggs coffee is better than Starbucks, imo. Too bad, another loss of a brick and mortar bookstore.

On Edit: Just found out what the deal is....

Apparently they're the only BAM store closing in the chain and it's not because of bad sales or anything. The owners of the center hiked the lease by about $6,000 and they did the same to Bath & Body Works and Quizno's and they're leaving too.

[oneforone]

I am surprised Bath and Body Works has not opened in Town Center in Midwest City. They could easily open in the space next to GNC or build a store in between Best Buy and Alta. Quiznos is tanking as it is. I only think of one location (SW 104th and May) that is still operating and doing well.

[White Peacock]

So the owners are creating a ghost town.

I really don't like Books-a-Million, personally. I love bookstores with atmosphere and BAM, despite a decent selection, had a really sterile atmosphere that didn't put me in the book-buying state of mind. I just find it lacking. Also, they didn't have much of interest in the genre of my choosing (esoterica).

I recently discovered a marvelous little gem in Second Chance Books on 39th and MacArthur. Nothing near my beloved Powell's in Portland, but I'm glad to have found it.

[Steve]

Bad location. Memorial is overrated. I think it would have done far better on 2nd Street in Edmond. That's just my opinion.

[Thunder]

Excellent timing!!! Do you all not realize how awesome this is?!

Books-A-Million will soon relocate to Crossroads Mall. I am going to make this post in the CRM threat to alert the dudes.

[progressiveboy]

It sounds like that shopping center has stronger tenants lined up? I just can't see them trying to put pressure on existing tenants to leave without shooting theirselves in the foot. I could see Dick's Sporting Goods open there as my understanding is they are looking to expand into the OKC area.They already have 2-3 stores lined up for Tulsa to open up before the holidays. I also read other retailers looking to expand into OKC include Edwin Watt's Golf Stores, LA Fitness, Trader Joes and Calfornia Pizza Kitchen.

[Patrick]

Guys, Bath and Body Works is closing because they couldn't justify having a store there AND across the street at Quail Springs Mall. And Books-A-Million is looking to move elsewhere, possibly buying the Borders location on NW Expressway, although other folks are looking at the property as well.

[MikeOKC]

Guys, Bath and Body Works is closing because they couldn't justify having a store there AND across the street at Quail Springs Mall. And Books-A-Million is looking to move elsewhere, possibly buying the Borders location on NW Expressway, although other folks are looking at the property as well.

Patrick, I listen closely when you talk about Penn Square, but you're wrong about the above on Memorial Road. Books-A-Million has laid off all employees - in fact, today is their last day. They are not looking to stay in the market right now and are not looking at the Borders location at all. Their month-to-month option ran out and the owners were still insisting on the huge lease hike. That is why BAM is closing. They have strategically saved some Borders in other parts of the country, but all were one bookstore towns and are converting them to BAM stores.

I was told that Bath & Body Works & Quiznos ran into the same problems. The owners wouldn't negotiate reasonably and they chose to close their locations. BBW opened the two locations in the first place - so they justified it some way then and honestly, I would think they would close the Quail Springs Mall location before the one across the street if it hadn't been for "unreasonable" (their words) leasing arrangements.

[Patrick]

Patrick, I listen closely when you talk about Penn Square, but you're wrong about the above on Memorial Road. Books-A-Million has laid off all employees - in fact, today is their last day. They are not looking to stay in the market right now and are not looking at the Borders location at all. Their month-to-month option ran out and the owners were still insisting on the huge lease hike. That is why BAM is closing. They have strategically saved some Borders in other parts of the country, but all were one bookstore towns and are converting them to BAM stores.

I was told that Bath & Body Works & Quiznos ran into the same problems. The owners wouldn't negotiate reasonably and they chose to close their locations. BBW opened the two locations in the first place - so they justified it some way then and honestly, I would think they would close the Quail Springs Mall location before the one across the street if it hadn't been for "unreasonable" (their words) leasing arrangements.

There's nothing in your comments I can disagree with actually. But, I will say that, although BAM is leaving the OKC market for now, they may return in the near future. And you're right on BBW and Quiznos. But, from what the manager at the Quailsprings Market Place location told me, they might have been more willing the pay the price had they not already had a store at Quail Springs, where they were actually paying much less in rent. Same thing happened at Penn Square, when they used to have 2 stores in the mall...Simon took over, raised their rent, and they closed 1 store.

[Larry OKC]

MikeOKC: I thought I had read about BAM closing on Memorial not that long ago, but didn't have it bookmarked and google was no help. What i did run across was they were buying some of the bankrupt Borders locations and were making a bid on taking over all of them but that apparently fell thru. If they are staying in the OKC market, would think their 1st choice would be the Borders location but it may not be a good fit for them right now. Maybe Crossroads would be better?

[BG918]

I really don't like Books-a-Million, personally. I love bookstores with atmosphere and BAM, despite a decent selection, had a really sterile atmosphere that didn't put me in the book-buying state of mind.

Agree, I'm not a fan because of the "sterile" environment. Much prefer B&N and the defunct Borders.

[MikeOKC]

Agree, I'm not a fan because of the "sterile" environment. Much prefer B&N and the defunct Borders.

It's definitely an atmosphere versus selection thing (at least here in OKC). Really, BAM had a much larger selection in just about every genre. At Barnes and Noble and Borders, many books would be a 'special order' but Books-A-Million would often have it on the shelf. Also, BAM has some really nice "urban" stores in the east and southeast that are multi-floor, often located on a corner with the Joe Muggs coffee shops being very popular. The suburban "sterile" environment, I agree, is nothing like those older stores.

[disinfected]

Know this is an older thread, but does anyone know what this former Books a Million is turning into? They've basically shaved the building's head by a few feet, and they've been actively working on it for the past month or so. Anyone have any idea what it's going to be?

[Dubya61]

Know this is an older thread, but does anyone know what this former Books a Million is turning into? They've basically shaved the building's head by a few feet, and they've been actively working on it for the past month or so. Anyone have any idea what it's going to be?

There's a thread in this same forum called: Old booksamillion building on Memorial. The verdict seems to be a 5 Guys burger joint plus some other stuff.