I spend my free time in Barnes & Noble. I’ve written five books and I’m looking to do a few more so my time there is spent mostly to inspire another awful idea for a book. I’m not sure the store could find ANOTHER reason to get me into the store WAIT they just did.
According to the Utica Times-Dispatch, the store is now exploring entry into another lifestyle market: alcohol. At a recent town board meeting at nearby New Hartford, Kevin Danford gave notice that Barnes & Noble would be applying for a beer and wine license. According to Danford, there are no plans to turn the store into anything rowdy—it won’t be a bar or a nightclub or anything that will “change the complexion of the neighborhood.” B&N will test the response in New Hartford before it brings beer and wine into other stores; there’s no word if this experiment is limited to that store, or if it will be taking place in other stores.
Instead, Barnes & Noble will be dipping its toes into an arena where many smaller booksellers have found success: serving beer and wine at events.
Don’t expect your local B&N to turn into a pub but serving beer and wine at eventa makes for a livelier crowd willing to buy way more books. In some cases it also makes sense, especially if the book is about wine or beer.
Some insiders fear that the alcohol consumption will put a damper on the “family” atmosphere in Barnes & Noble stores but those people are idiots because my family causes me to drink so it only makes sense to get hammered in the kid’s section. This time without a hidden flask.
[via New Republic]