Going, Going, Gone...
When I think back to my childhood and adolescence there were certain stores that I'd go to. Many of these types of stores are now gone, or perhaps they've been replaced by more modern business plans. I'm talking about 5 and Dimes and drug stores with lunch counters, Automats, Slot-Car Tracks and others. However there seems to be a trend of shops closing that we are familiar with these days as well.
There are very few brick and mortar places to rent videos these days. Book stores are becoming fewer and even the big stores are having a hard time. Record stores are going down as well. Newspaper and magazine shops are going fast. Travel Agencies are archaic.
I and the technology available to me is part of the problem. It's been a while since I've rented a video I can't recall the last time I purchased a book in a book store. I cant recall the last CD I purchased? Now I get the music on line and load it into a pod and plug it into the stereo in my truck. I no longer subscribe to news papers and we get maybe three magazines. I haven't used a travel agent since airlines got 800 numbers for phone reservations.
On the horizon I can see the day coming soon when I will no longer write checks. Between online payments and PayPal there is really no need. I just received my first payment via PayPal recently. I didn't have to worry about the exchange rate and when it would arrive and it was a snap to transfer the money to my bank.
Though it is sad to see so many things change and I do feel bad for the local businesses I'm not supporting, but the few times I have had local bookstores order books for me, they went to Amazon.Com and it's just as easy for me to do that.
I recently broke a belt on my Craftsman planer, so I drove to Sears to see if I could get a new belt. They went on-line and ordered it and had it shipped to my house. I now wonder why I took the time to drive into town, and I won't make that mistake again.
posted by The Guy Who Writes This at 4:00 AM
7 Comments:
One of my retirement dreams was to open a little used bookstore. Maybe with a coffee bar and a humidor for cigars on the side. Three of my favorite smells; old books, coffee and tobacco all in one place. By the time I get there people won't be reading actual books anymore, coffee will be too expensive and tobacco will be illegal. Pfui.
I think bookstores can adapt to the "E-Age". Especially with the Kindle (and I think Nook) allowing people to "borrow" books. A bookstore could buy ebooks, and rent them to people who aren't sure whether the book is worth buying or not. I could see libraries doing this, also.
I also think there will always be people who prefer to hold a book over an e-reader, and see a physical library of books in their home.
Then there's people who will prefer to keep "hard copies" of banned books. After all, it's a lot simpler to ban an e-book than a physical one. Think how easy it would be for a gov't to create a virus to target unwanted e-books.
On the other hand, I think schools should go to 100% e-texts. So much less weight for students to carry around, and the texts should be cheaper since they can be electronically updated.
I haven't written a check in years. Last time I ran out of checks I never bothered to order more. Maybe once a year I've needed to mail money and just paid 75 cents for a money order. I have auto deposit with my paycheck so go into the bank maybe 3 times a year.
My husband uses his droid phone to send his paychecks into the bank via email so he doesn't have to actually deposit them either.
Darev, Looks like all you will be able to do when you retire is sit in a rocker an whittle.
Walt, I agree on the school texts. That should bring the cost down. Text books are presently way over-priced. As far as e-books, the cost of producing a paper book is pretty expensive, where e-books cost very little.
Anon, I'm down to my last box of checks and considering my options.
Sure hope you are not counting on the SEARS store in Astoria for much. It's a HASSLE now just to get a Craftsman tool replaced. On the positive side, I am glad to see JC Penny's hanging in there in Astoria.
We shop Astoria/Warrenton once a month from LB Peninsula.
Interesting blog ya got here...
Thanks Mr. Natural. I guess Craftsman tools are now considered disposable.
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