Melville House Books

As expected, Borders UK collapsed over the holiday, although it turned out to be something even more definitive than mere bankruptcy (“administration,” as the Brits put it).

While a Bookseller report notes that many publishers had braced themselves and managed to keep their exposure “minimised,” a Daily Mail story tells what happened Friday morning:

“One of Britain’s biggest chains of bookshops collapsed today, threatening more than 1,000 jobs in the run-up to Christmas. Borders, which has 45 stores selling books and CDs, went into administration, unable to compete any longer with online retailers like Amazon as well as supermarkets offering titles at huge discounts.” The Mail story said, “All its shops will remain open for the time being in the hope of finding a buyer, but many have begun ‘closing down sales’, while its website has stopped taking orders, threatening a bleak Christmas for its 1,150 staff.”

But later in the day, it seems, Borders execs gave up hope of finding a buyer to save the company, as this Bookseller story reported Friday night: “In a late development this evening, Borders UK joint administrators Philip Duffy, Geoff Bouchier and David Whitehouse of [bankruptcy consultants] MCR announced that closing down sales will begin tomorrow (Saturday, 28th November) at all 45 retail outlets of the chain. The sale will affect all branded Borders and Books Etc stores across the UK.”

Borders UK head Duffy told the Bookseller, “MCR is now conducting a parallel strategy. We are conducting closing down sales while we continue to seek a purchaser for all or some of the Company’s stores.”

He also went on to assure that “ongoing wages for retained staff will continue to be paid as an expense of the Administration” and that “all employees are being kept abreast of developments.” But in what may be the most poignant articulation of how very badly managed the company has been, the comments section beneath the article is filled with literally dozens of comments from employees — including many writing from work — saying no one had told them a thing ….

Dennis Johnson is the founder of MobyLives, and the co-founder and co-publisher of Melville House.