Interesting article by Harry McCracken for Time Magazine regarding Green Apple Books, a San Francisco bookstore, and how it is introducing -and dealing- with e-readers in their stores:

http://techland.time.com/2013/08/12/how-one-local-bookstore-is-dealing-with-the-e-book-revolution/

It is my sincerest hope that bookstores will continue to survive in some form or another into the future.  The logical side of me, however, feels that because of the various advantages tablets and e-readers have over brick and mortar stores, bookstores will either a) fade away entirely or b) morph into something more devoted to “nostalgia” or “collectible” material -and e-readers- than printed “new” works…which it seems Green Apple Books is indeed doing.

On the one hand, this is a very sad sign of the times.  As much as I like carrying around a virtual library in my tablet (same as carrying my entire music collection in an iPod), finding new books and authors has always been best for me while walking through a bookstore’s new books section and looking over the wares.  This is something that Amazon, as good a company as it is in getting product into people’s hands, hasn’t quite been able to successfully accomplish.  At least to me.

So, on the other hand, there may be a glimmer of optimism to be had for the continued success (if not sterling success) of a Green Apple Books.  Perhaps one day a store like this one will open in my area…