Why would you need Barnes & Nobel when you can have Amazon — and Independent Bookstores?

My regular Barnes & Noble in Royal Oak, MI, just closed its doors in April. And though I’m definitely a classic ‘book lover’, I miss it mostly because the bookstore was enriched with the ‘metadata’ of a Starbucks. I just loved skimming through books I might or might not buy while enjoying my Eggnog or Pumpkin Spice Latte. (more…)