Borders, once a beloved mega-bookstore known for its vast selection, cozy atmosphere with coffee shops, and knowledgeable staff, was discontinued after the company filed for bankruptcy and liquidated all its stores by September 2011, primarily due to intense competition from online retailers like Amazon, the rise of e-readers, and internal struggles to adapt to changing book-buying habits.

Key Aspects of the Borders Experience (Pre-Discontinuation):

Mega-Store Concept: Large stores with over 70,000 titles, comfortable seating, and background classical music.

Community Hub: Integrated Starbucks/Seattle's Best cafes, CD listening stations, and knowledgeable, college-educated staff.

Wide Selection: Known for stocking deep inventories, including rare books and a diverse range of titles.

Innovation (Early): Pioneered concepts like integrated cafes and loyalty programs (Borders Rewards).

Reasons for Discontinuation:

Amazon & E-commerce: Failed to compete with online book retailers.

E-readers: The emergence of digital books challenged physical book sales.

Inventory Mismanagement: Overemphasis on large stock and underestimating online trends.

Loss of Identity: Tried to be too many things (music, games) and lost focus on being a great bookstore, alienating core readers.

Bankruptcy: Filed Chapter 11 in February 2011, leading to liquidation by September 2011.