Bookstores like Barnes and Noble now selling toys

[Anonymous]

Greetings,

I'm a reporter at the WashPost working on a big story about bookstore chains, hurt by the digital revolution, adding large toy sections to help get adults back in their stores spending money. I'm hoping to speak with moms about this. Do you like these additions? More convenient? Or do they bother you because now your kids want toys more than a book? Thanks for your time. I can be reached at [e-mail]

Mike

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Greetings,

I'm a reporter at the WashPost working on a big story about bookstore chains, hurt by the digital revolution, adding large toy sections to help get adults back in their stores spending money. I'm hoping to speak with moms about this. Do you like these additions? More convenient? Or do they bother you because now your kids want toys more than a book? Thanks for your time. I can be reached at [e-mail]

Mike

They've always done this online, it is not new at all. They just happen to have more toys in the actual stores now.

[Anonymous]

I'm happy they are adapting.

[Anonymous]

I don't mind them adding toys, but i mind them taking away the book selection. Last time I went, I was looking for activity books - they barely had any - because the store was full of toys. So they just lost a sale with me - not to mention - I feel no need to return. The local hardware store now has a better selection of kids books.

[Anonymous]

I don't mind the toys for sale at Barnes & Noble, seems like they've been there for several years.

I DO mind them at Cartoon Cuts though. I just want to get my kid's hair cut, not be subjected to whining for toys.

[Anonymous]

It has made me far less likely to take my child to the bookstore, sadly. Last time I was in a large bookstore (don't remember if it was BN or Borders in downtown Silver Spring), my five year old kept gravitating to the toys displayed all over the store between the book aisles and begging for one thing after another. It really ruined the experience. I haven't taken him with me since. Now I only go when I'm alone, which is far less frequently than before.

It's bad enough that I have to deal with crying for toys/treats whenever we have to go to Target or the grocery store. The bookstore used to be the oasis. Not anymore.

We love the library, though!

[Anonymous]

I don't mind it - the kids like to play with the toys and look at them - but they also like to look at the books. They don't beg for books or toys (I take that back, there was one incident over a book recently - usually that doesn't occur.) If they want something, they put it on their "list" and move on.

[Anonymous]

I don't like it. I used to bring my 5 yo dd to B and N all the time to look for books. Now when we go, all she wants is toys...and I have to explain that we are not there for toys. Because of this, I make sure that I go without dd because it is such a hassel. I really don't feel like arguing with her over toys that should be in toy stores...not book stores. As a result, I go by myself, which means that I do not go as often as I used to. I told DH that I want a Nook or Kindle for Christmas.

[Anonymous]

My kids (3 and 6) didn't even notice the toys when we went in there a few months ago. They just knew it was a bookstore and went straight to the books (and, ok, the train table for the little one).

I actually like it - they toys tend to be more of the craft/"educational" variety, and it's a different selection than what's at Target next door.

[Anonymous]

I like it. They've got great toys. I especially like Borders. You can find awesome stuff on clearance there sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Can those who have responded please shoot me a note at [e-mail]? These are great responses! Thanks.

[Anonymous]

OP - you realize that while they do normally sell toys year round, they increase the number of toys available at Christmas much like Giant and CVS do. You really think that's article worthy?

[Anonymous]

Here's what annoys me- there is a much smaller book selection now (at least at certain of these stores) and at the Borders in Silver Spring there are big signs that say that children can't touch the toys. We don't go there anymore.

[Anonymous]

Uh... are reporters from the Washington Post really supposed to be on here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Uh... are reporters from the Washington Post really supposed to be on here?

I guess it's easier than actual reporting which would involve going to the bookstore, lurking there, and try to chat up the customers. In any event, the toy section at either Borders or B&N is nothing new and parents have to deal with this kind of stuff all the time. I'm tired of the microscopes being put on parenting these days. There's your real news story. The worst purveyors of that stuff are Petula Dvorak at WaPo and some other columnist at the awful Examiner (can't remember her name).