Books a Million

Worst Bookstore I have ever seen! Nothing is alphabetized or organized. Books in a series are scattered over 4 or 5 different shelves. After I got home to Denver I found that the book we bought had been scribbled over with ink and the glossary was illegible! What a nightmare!

I shop at BAM because it is the only option I have besides the Internet. Bookstores are my happy place. Borders and Barnes and Noble were or are superior to BAM. I was depressed when Borders went out of business. We have a tiny Barnes and Noble on campus, hardly worth the gas to get there, so, BAM it is. BAM mainly stocks classic literature, new and newer releases, and Christian lit. Far too much space is devoted to Bibles, Christian novels and self-​help. Can I find the newest Stephen King? Absolutely. Will I be forced to dig my way through every version of the Bible known to humankind on my way there? Yup. I am not anti-​religion by any means. But in a bookstore, particularly when there are few options closer than Indianapolis, it would be nice to see a wider selection of books. Conversely, there is very little in the way of popular science writing. «History» is mostly military history with very little social history or books about diverse cultures. Many books are part of series so, while you will find the newest release, good luck finding the rest. If you’ve never read the series, you will need to search elsewhere for the rest of it. There is a fantasy/​sci fi section but not a stand alone Horror section. The graphic novels are mostly superhero comics, very few actual graphic novels. And the staff at our BAM are, for the most part, not enthusiastic readers. I have met one clerk capable of holding an engaged discussion about books.

It’s great to see a bookstore with it’s doors not boarded shut! With almost all of the bookstores where I live out of business, it’s enjoyable to be able to visit one. The size and selection of this location is much improved over the Bookland that I remember being in the Muncie Mall as I grew up.

Poor Books a Million, how do you hang on?
When I first moved to Florida, I shopped at Books a Million because it was almost everywhere and Borders and Barnes & Noble weren’t. The trouble was that they never seemed to discount anything and their savings card didn’t seem to help, but cost me to have it. It seemed to be more for the Joe Muggs coffee shop inside the store and the trinkets at the cash register.
This store is no different from the others. They have the magazines («news stand») on one wall toward the outside of the store (the restrooms are near there) and Joe Muggs is at the mall entrance. The books and games, etc. are in-​between the two. It’s a compact store, but probably sufficient given the population and the likelihood that someone will actually buy.
While I saw a few people working, no one bothered to say anything. The coffee shop was a lonely place, also, with only two customers. If it was Starbucks, they’d be having knock-​down-​drag-​outs for seats.
Nothing out of place for Books a Million. How do they stay in business?