Happier Days! Border's Hostess Attempting to Organize the Potter fans in two lines which milled and weaved and snaked around the store July 20 when over 300 jammed the store for the release of the last Harry Potter book. Border's -- the destination bookstore in White Plains -- is leaving the Pavilion Mall its home for years. 

O’Meara told WPCNR  the “demographics” of the clientele frequenting the  Pavilion mall had changed which influenced the company decision not to renew its lease on the location (which WPCNR notes, tends to locate in posh, upscale malls)

She added that the mix of tenants in the Pavilion was also a factor in the bookstore giant’s decision to leave White Plains. She rejected the theory that declining CD and music sales was a factor in the closing of the store, saying the company has never said that.   

Asked if the new rental terms asked by The Pavilion, were a factor in not renewing the lease, O’Meara told WPCNR,

“No, declining sales warranted this store not to be viable. Since the lease was ending, it was the best time to close the store, unfortunately.”

She denied downtown competition from Barnes and Noble in the City Center  lead the company to leave, blaming the lower sales, the demographics and mall tenant mix as the deciding factors.

Borders Up for the Year as a Company

Borders Group as a company,  reported increasing sales in 2007. According to a January 10 news release from the company,

“In the nine-week holiday period ended Jan. 5, 2008, at $1.1 billion, total consolidated sales from continuing operations were up by 3.9% over the same period last year.” 

WPCNR notes that the company reports music sales did decline 12.9% nationally, but Borders also has an internet website where both music and books may be purchased online. The release continued,

“Within domestic Borders superstores, total sales for the period were $755.4 million, which is a 6.5% increase over last year. Comparable store sales in the segment for the period increased by 2.4% as both customer transaction count and average ticket increased. The book category was solid with a 3.4% same-store sales increase.  With all Seattle’s Best Coffee cafe conversions completed, same-store sales in the category increased by 16.7% and Gifts and Stationery—driven by Paperchase— increased by 10.0% on a comparable store sales basis. Music declined by 12.9%.  Excluding music sales, comparable store sales at domestic Borders superstores increased by 4.3%.

Demographics, Traffic, Key in Selecting Borders sites.

Borders is very selective. Borders is expanding in the area, and they appear to seek demographically upscale locations. They recently announced the plans to expand presence in Southbury, Connecticut,  according to a news release:

“Borders, Inc. will open a 22,051 square-foot store at Southbury Plaza in Southbury, Conn. in May 2008. The new store will be located at the intersection of Main Street and Route 67. The new site was selected based on a variety of factors, including consumer demographics, the strength of the co-tenants, traffic patterns, the availability of parking, visibility and the overall attractiveness of the new site. “

WPCNR notes that since the last lease was signed at The Pavilion by Borders, the parking has become paid parking, and Office Max, an office supply and computer and communications store, which used to be located directly opposite Borders in The Pavilion, and drew a natural fit of customer to the Borders market, left that location, being replaced with Daffy’s, a moderate priced clothing store.

No connection, but Harry and David, the gourmet specialty store located in the Westchester Mall also has closed.  A regular customer of Harry and David told WPCNR that the owner of the Harry and David store said it closed because they were not getting the upscale customer their store depended upon.