Waldenbooks to close in January: Borders planning
 to shutter 200 mall stores nationwide

STERLING – Sterling’s only retail bookstore is being “right-sized” out of business.

Borders, the parent company of Waldenbooks, is closing about 200 mall stores across the country, including Waldenbooks in Northland Mall, which will be shuttered in January.

That will leave only about 130 mall-based locations across the country.

“America has a number of malls that continue to do well and draw customer traffic even in the current economy,” Borders Group Chief Executive Officer Ron Marshall said in a news release.
“We believe there remains an opportunity to profitably operate a much smaller Waldenbooks segment that complements our core Borders superstore business and continues to serve readers in their communities.

“Through this right-sizing, we will reduce the number of stores with operating losses, reduce our overall rent expense and lease-adjusted leverage and generate cash flow through sales and working capital reductions.”

The Sterling store has two full-time and seven part-time workers. All told, about 1,500 employees, mostly part time, will lose their jobs nationwide, Borders said in the release.

Borders has closed 178 Waldenbooks in the last 8 years.

Karyn Brouilette, the general manager of Northland Mall, declined to comment.

Dixon has two bookstores, Books on First, 202 W. First St., and The Good Book, 113 E. First St; Deb’s Book Nook, 2 E. Seventh St., in Sterling, sells used books.