Like most people in the area, I too am saddened by the loss of AVH. I used to spend 2 or 3 hrs in there at at time, roaming around each section carefully (mysteries first, then SF, then general fiction, then the great magazines and funky postcard racks). I always spent way more money than I should have, and would have to slog a heavy bag filled with great things on ths subway, to the train, and the walk back home. A great, great place.

However, I'm not anti-Borders/Barnes and Noble. Sorry, they're great stores too. They always have what I'm looking for (or can order it for me), their mag section is great too, and to top it off they have places to sit and read and browse all day long. The Borders chai is pretty great too. Let's see: they have what I'm looking for, give me good service and comfort, and good prices? Gee, I'm baffled as to why people go there.

On the AVH web site, the demise is blamed on readers (and writers and librarians and lawyers and chain stores and editors and reviewers and television and...) Hey, you had a good run, and I would have loved to have seen you continue for another 40, 50 years. But the big stores succeed for a reason, and the Internet succeeds for a reason. I just wish that we could have the best of both worlds.