I remember when chain book stores were the great evil and we encouraged independent stores at every turn.

They even made a movie about it, You Got Mail.

Now, I dread the day when i wake up to find the last bookstore chain, Barnes and Nobles, has gone under.

Today carried another story about their struggle to survive.

Meanwhile, I treasure to local Barnes and Noble. As a reading fanatic, I get a whole glow when I walk through the books.

I also acknowledge I am part of the problem. I will sometimes buy a new bestseller at Amazon or Costco and save a few bucks from buying it at Barnes and Noble.

And I justify reading magazines for free because I am sipping an iced tea, the best iced tea in town by the way.

Anybody who really cares about survival of a place where you can do all these things in such a comfortable setting, should spend as much of their money and time as possible in this chain store.

Twenty years ago I would have said you were nuts to believe I would ever write the previous paragraph.

Not anymore.