Out here in the Mountain West there’s a chain of stores called “Hastings.” They carry books, comic books, magazines, DVDs/Blu-Rays, video games, board games, collectibles, action figures, pop culture memorabilia. There are two within range of me that I visit on a fairly regular basis looking for magazines and books and such. Quite good stores.
Correction: There *used* to be a chain called “Hastings.” A month ago they declared bankruptcy, and today it was announced that they’ve been bought out by liquidators who will sell off their stuff and be done with them. When they are gone there will no longer be any book or magazine stores within a reasonable distance of me. Logan, Utah, a fairly major college town, will have no more book or video stores of any consequence. Logan used to have a Borders; that’s of course long gone. Used to have a really good hobby shop with long rows of model kits; long gone. Used to have one hell of a used book store; vanished like a fart in a tornado a few years ago.
Hmmph.
Get off my lawn, kid.
