Borders has reversed course and is leaving open a number of Waldenbooks that were scheduled to close. The company has been in the process of closing most of its Waldenbooks chain stores.
In early November, Borders (BGP) announced that it would close 200 of its 330 Waldenbooks stores by early January, cutting 1,500 jobs in the process. But with the new year approaching fast, the bookstore chain is changing its tune ever so slightly, and now plans to spare about 20 stores originally slated for the chopping block.
In Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, Palmer Park Mall manager Beth Samuelson told The Express-Times that store employees removed closing signs last week, and on Monday, corporate offices verified the decision to keep the store open. "It was a total surprise. All the signs saying: 'Store closing: Everything must go' all came down."
Borders spokeswoman Mary Davis wouldn't explain why some stores were remaining open or how those stores were selected. She says that the company won't be explaining the decision, so it's a bit of a mystery.
