Two of the most amazing profile bookseller are closing which is part of a broader trend in the industry remains the economic difficulties and increasing competition from online retailers.
Joseph-Beth Booksellers, an independent chain, which in SouthPark Mall opened its doors in 2005, announced Thursday that it is your door at the end of the month. Borders, which opened in 1993 in the nearby village close to shops Morrocroft Jan.7.
The news marks a change in the landscape of the Charlotte area for retail: the libraries of large areas once flooded the market, removing many of its smaller competitors are putting their own kind of pressure. The closure will leave Barnes & Noble as the only major library in the SouthPark area.
"It 's difficult, low margin," said retail consultant Jennifer Charlotte Stanton. With three stores in the market itself, "is a competition too, since it is a product that you can get to Amazon.com to buy cheap."
New technologies such as e-reader with pressure, similar to video stores and music.
Headquartered in Cincinnati Joseph-Beth Group, Charlotte store and seven others around the East Coast and Midwest, attributed his decision to reduce speed in a press release, sales and gloomy economic forecasts for the first half of 2011. It 'also close its store in Pittsburgh.
booksellers tend to face more competition than they have seen in history, "said Joseph-Beth Group Marketing Director, Chad Showalter.
The announcement stunned the Charlotte store a dozen employees, local marketing manager, said Carol Crown.
"Are you sad to see go, and in fact will have to decide what to do," he said. "We are certainly part of this community, and we were so sad."
The shop sells books and gifts, and include the Bronte Bistro is now closed, has a loyal audience, the event and support to civil society such as children's theater in Charlotte with a percentage of sales.
People who looked at on Thursday saying they were sorry to hear that has been closed.
"It 's a bit sad," said Margaret Bray, 51 "We need libraries, with the loss of our libraries. And I hate that other store."
Stanton said the company has found a niche with events and partnerships with local schools and textbooks. The location was an ideal meeting place and pedestrians. But the high rents and sales does not mean that you could easily conclude "he said.
and more people are opting for online shopping at lower prices or libraries "Especially now, with the economy what it is, you have to buy less ... momentum," he said.
A spokeswoman for SouthPark mall declined to comment on what the mall space to fill.
The nearby border has suffered a blow to the Barnes & Noble moved to the opposite side of the road in the development of Morrison in 2008, said Stanton, booksellers choose their place of South Park in 1990 helped.
"The library of borders in a defensive position," he said.
Borders General Manager Elizabeth Clayton said the two other stores in the area of Charlotte Stonecrest in the South and North of the lake to the north, remains open. But their suffering in their negotiations, which began at the end of "a tree," he said.
"It 's been a pleasure and an honor to serve the community of South Park since 1993," he said. "It will be very sad for all employees."
The challenges are full of libraries throughout the country.
The Ann Arbor, Michigan, Borders recently reported a net loss of $ 51.6million, or $ 74 cents a processing fee, and a turnover of nearly 12 percent over the same period last year.
He predicted in a letter to shareholders in September, Barnes & Noble, CEO William Lynch Jr., "a shock to the industry. Consolidation of profits physics book"
The analysis of the company based in New York has fewer libraries, and more business for shops and pharmacies, and the physical book market is reduced to about $ 19billion to $ 21billion over the next four years, he said.
"The book trade and in particular the model library to detail a lot of pressure recently, both macroeconomic factors and new disruptive technologies in the digital reading was," said Lynch.
Thursday vote was the light at Park Road Books Park Road Shopping Center. Open Open since 1977 and called for a book box and discount retailers, is one of the smaller shops that have seen a windfall of closures.
Joseph-Beth takes the events scheduled for this week, including an appearance next week by the skater Apolo Ohno, he said, for example, a store owner Sally Brewster.
He said his biggest rival, began to move to Charlotte in 1990. With the support of companies with deep pockets, which offers discounts and expected many of the smaller stores, which eventually closed or moved.
Well, the "high income killed," he said. "How many books are sold for rent?"
Brewster said stores like Park Road - where news used daily to keep hair in obituaries for the long-term customer and call it their "end of life" for the right book for the party right person - to prosper will increase as the customers of small businesses, clubs want.