Meg Ryan

James, credited with a turnaround in the UK, the largest book chain, Waterstones, is a similar strategy to the solution of the problems of America's Barnes & Noble.

In the 1990s, The Company was the king of America's bookstores, a fast-expanding corporate behemoth that the industry has-and crushed the local competitors.

her success seemed so complete that it inspired the 1998 Romantic Comedy you've got Mail in which Meg Ryan Hanks, the as be FoxBooks forces your family to the shop of business for Tom.

Today, however, Barnes & Noble stores huge, tired remnants of the vanished retail era seem to be.

sales of The Company 's retail business declined for almost a decade, as The Company in view of the economic recession, e-books and the steady transition from shopping centers.

It has driven, quickly by members of the management Board, and spent creating millions of dollars, the Nook e-reader, the not gain traction.

to win the efforts, customers have shown by adding various non-book-article and full-service restaurants, with little sign of success, although the evidence for the revival of the independent bookstores.

In June, long-time Chairman Leonard Riggio, the sale of The Business of the hedge Fund Elliott Advisors, the installed the Waterstones-boss at the top.

during a recent visit to one of The Company 's flagship locations in New York City, Mr was Discouraged relentlessly about the problems he sees.

The book display at the entrance? "There is absolutely no rhyme or reason to it. "The shelves in the first floor complete with toys? "A Lot Of Plastic . "The website? "We have to change and to invest. "

And yet, in spite of the challenges - also an escalator seemed to be Broken - Mr to be Discouraged, he says he is confident that he can change the story.

The 55-year-old, tall, slim and quietly speaks, has almost 30 years in the book trade in the United Kingdom behind him, first, to Discourage books, the small chain of up-market shops, which he founded, is sinking in Marylebone in 1990 And Then in Waterstones, he took over as chief executive in 2011, as it risked, in the administration.

Waterstones turned profitable in 2016. Mr Discourage loans, which fit the recreation to make his decision, The Chain act more like an independent bookstore, the authorised, with the local leaders, share the titles you think will their particular markets.

He is plotting a similar strategy now. "It is relatively easy. Fill the bookshops with The Books their customers want," he says.

Where the Lord sees Discourage similarities between Waterstones and Barnes & Noble, analysts warn of differences.

Despite his diminished condition, Barnes & Noble a massive operation, with 627 branches, approximately 27,000 full-and part-time employees and $3 remains. 5 billion (£2. 8bn) in revenues in the 12 months to 27 April.

By comparison, Waterstones only had 278 branches, approximately 3,100 employees and a turnover of £385. 7m, when Elliott took over in the year 2018.

America ' s size, the mechanics of some parts of the book not to sell, such as distribution, more challenging, while The Threat from Amazon only includes its online sales, but a small but growing number of dedicated bookshops have been taken.

Barnes & Noble stores are often located in suburban shopping centres, where they occupy huge space in the 26,000-square - - - a challenge for any retailer these days, let alone a bookstore.

"you have to drive there, you need to Get Out of your car, Park All of this stuff. It is not so, walk down The Street and say, 'Oh, these book choices look interesting. Let's pop," says John Tinker , an analyst at Gabelli & Co, which has followed Barnes & Noble for years.

"is He after the same text book as in England, and to the extent that he worked in England, which increases the chances that it will work here. But there are a lot of the execution issues. Waterstones was kind of easier," he says.

Oren Teicher, CEO of The American booksellers Association, says that the United States has relatively few bookstores, in comparison to Europe and the UK, suggesting there is room for Barnes & to be Noble, successful, especially in view of the growth of the local shops have seen in the last few years.

However, The Company abruptly remains wedged between the Amazon and the "indies". In the UK Waterstones, no-name stores, which look like small, independent bookstores - the so-called "stealth" point of sale, open has attracted outcry.

"It's hard, a 30,000-square-foot superstore in a Strip Mall and convert that in a neighborhood store," Mr. Teicher says. "It has to authenticity. "

Mr Discouraged, who continue to experiment, free of charge, from Waterstones, And Then run it separately, some space to.

More Than 200 Barnes & Noble Leasing contracts are for renewal in the next two years, offer the possibility of a push for lower rents, shrink, move face or to other sites entirely.

analysts expect to push publishers for better terms, while Elliott provides the support, at least for a few years - a sign of short-term financial pressures and the resources to invest.

Mr to be Discouraged, he estimates, some $100-$200 meters before the upgrade, All of the Shop furniture and lamps.

"Good bookstores are fabulous things, and the problem with this is, it's just not a very good bookstore," he says about his visit to one of New York City outlets.

"It has All the makings of a good bookstore. It was once a good bookstore. So in theory, it does not rotate too difficult to it. "

Source of news: bbc.com