Glad to see they came up a creative solution to stay open and it's working.

If my local bookstore needed sponsorship to stay open I would be first in line to donate. With that said, something feels off-putting when I read these stories of requests for sponsors and donors to failing businesses. Seems increasingly common story too. I understand there's multiple sides to this debate, and what the trend may or may not lead to. I have no idea. Maybe it is market efficiency or maybe it's serious market failure. I see comments on both those sides. Either way I don't think relying on sponsors and donors for failing businesses is a good or long term way for an economic system and market to function. Two more examples of this trend toward needing donations to band-aid the bullshit we created:

Noah Smith's recent tweet: "I swear to God, the sight of people with deadly diseases crowdfunding their health care is the most dystopian thing about America right now" [1]

Walmart asking for donations of food for its own employees who do not earn enough in wages to support themselves: http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2013/11/is_walma...

Speaking of, an increase in the minimum wage was blamed by Borderlands and others for having to close down and/or ask for donations. (Side note, I was surprised to read of these book store employees they have who "cheerfully" worked for minimum wage. in San Francisco. for a ten-plus years! Amazing! but whatever). Wages are not the full story here...The cost of rent for good retail locations in these cities (SF, LA, NYC, etc.) is a major major issue. Nuts. I'm not suggesting we federalize major cities' downtown storefront real estate spaces. I think if someone bought or inherited real estate in a great city location and makes a fortune then congrats to them, smart move, happy for them.

But fundamentally it is economics 202 that a local B&M business model and employee wages will never keep up with the monopoly that is big city real estate and their pricing power to rent seek. The numbers don't work long term. Period. A regular business can't beat a monopoly like real estate but it's especially difficult when there are flocks of new, overconfident fools for tenants waiting in the wings with a shark-tank-quality-biz idea and fresh capital they got from who knows and they are ready to sign a lease they can't afford. Look at NYC restaurant spaces, why do they cycle so often and so quickly? Or come visit Los Angeles (I'll buy you a beer) and then go to Rodeo drive in Beverly Hills. Rent is so expensive on Rodeo now (+$1000 psf I think these days) that landlords know their tenants are running at a loss and they still raise rents on them every year (or sooner)...Half the shops on Rodeo Dr. are major luxury brands renting at loss but there for marketing purposes, the other half of shops belong to these weird little overconfident new luxury brands no one has ever heard of but think they will hyper grow and cover Rodeo rent. They never do. These little American dream, Italian leather type stores last maybe 6 months before closing and the next overconfident fool with a pink faux emu skin handbag is ready to roll the dice and pay an even higher rent

P.S. If your city or town still has a real bookstore, when was the last time you went in there and asked the staff for a book recommendation and then gave a new paper book chance? Good date idea too. Just good all around. Roll dice.

[1] https://twitter.com/noahpinion/status/844393961678655488?lan...