When my parents opened a bookstore in Clovis, New Mexico, back in the mid-80s, the only competition was a newsstand (mostly magazines and newspapers) and a comic book/gaming store. So, when you think about it, there was no competition.

Slowly but surely we gained customers and by the time Hastings opened up at the mall (selling mass-market books as well as music and video rentals), it didn't cut too much into our sales. At least that seems to be my recollection of the times.

The store was eventually sold during my youngest brother's senior year in high school (1992 or so). In a few years, Amazon and the Internet would begin putting most bookstores out of business.

I went into my local going-out-of-business Borders store yesterday. Sales are at 30-50% off now. Mostly 30%, but you can get BluRay movies for 50% off...the most expensive retail prices on movies I've ever seen.

It took me quite a while to find anything I wanted. I had a few authors I wanted to buy a book or two of, but they were either sold out or the books still around I already had. I pretty much checked out the entire store, and ended up getting Breakfast at Tiffany's by Capote and a newish compilation of unpublished stories and essays by Bukowski. They were on the same shelf.

So that was the last time I'm going into a Borders.

There's still a Barnes & Noble in town (actually, it's right across the street from the Borders). And a couple small local bookstores that probably do a good business selling special order books. But then again, they might just be holding it together because the owners can't give up the dream. There are quite a few used bookstores. I've got one that's opposite my triplex on San Mateo. I get my comic books from them.

When you can get a new book from Amazon at 40% off with free shipping and no tax, driving to an actual bookstore seems archaic.

I don't like iPads or Nooks or any other electronic "book" device. I don't want one, and when "books" are only available in this format, I'll be a grumpy old man. By the way, the "books" better sell for less than regular paper books did (they don't now). But I'm holding onto my regular books. I'll reread them and ignore all the people staring at screens.

You can't open a new bookstore anymore. And video rental shops are pretty much gone. Newspapers are dying. There's three of my previous jobs right there.

Maybe bar tending is the way to go. Drinking ain't going out of style anytime soon.

Matt Worley knows the world is changing.