The Second Coming of Borders: Schuler Books, West Bloomfield, Mich. (#13)

Since the untimely 2011 demise of bookworms' beloved Borders, the business of brick-and-mortar book retailing has never been the same. Their once-competitor, Barnes & Noble, has stayed afloat, albeit declining; but even with regional challenger Books-A-Million, no chain has truly filled the void left by the once-massive Ann Arborite retailer.

Enter Schuler Books, an independent Michigan bookseller whose stores resemble Borders's big-box format. Founded in 1982 by a husband-and-wife duo (who met while working at at Ulrich's, rest its soul, in Ann Arbor), Schuler is a well-established institution in its native Grand Rapids, as well as the Lansing area; so much so that the chain held a longtime gentleman's agreement with Borders, stating that the latter would avoid competing with Schuler in those areas. They currently operate one store in each (having previously had more), plus an Ann Arbor location, acquired from another bookseller in 2014 and recently rebranded as Schuler. But despite cornering many of Michigan's markets, they never had a presence in Detroit.

That was, of course, until last August, when the chain announced they would finally expand into the state's largest population center, selecting a former PetSmart in West Bloomfield's Gateway Center for their first Metro Detroit location. The site was well-selected, given the lack of similar stores nearby: since West Bloomfield's Barnes & Noble closed years ago, Detroit's northwestern suburbs have lacked a proper bookstore. The nearest B&Ns stand in Northville and Troy, with Detroit's only Books-A-Million, in Beverly Hills, a little bit closer. Other independent booksellers in the suburbs are largely concentrated closer to the Woodward corridor, leaving the GWB-Farmington Hills area devoid of book outlets.

While I was overjoyed at the news of Schuler's arrival, I was also curious just how they'd make the space work; the high ceiling of the old PetSmart space was a marked change from the cozy reading environments fostered by Borders and B&N stores. The announcement projected a spring 2023 opening, though initial progress was slow from what I'd seen.

I didn't pay much attention to construction until the grand opening was announced, scheduled for Saturday, May 20th. In hopes of getting some pre-opening pictures, I paid the store a visit the night before; to my shock, however, I found the store already open; come to find out, they'd had a soft opening on Wednesday, the 17th.

I'd arrived five minutes before closing, but an employee told me I was welcome to look around until the clock struck eight.

I like what they did with the ceiling, painting it gray at the top to lessen the effect of its height on the environment.

On my way out, I noticed some branded merchandise at the checkout. A sticker, bearing a special logo for the West Bloomfield location, stuck out, and I couldn't resist buying one. In doing so, I made the last purchase at the store before its grand opening. 

With thirteen hours to go until the festivities began, I headed home through the rain.

Skies were clear, and fifteen or so shoppers were in line, when I arrived at 7260 Orchard Lake at quarter-to-nine the next morning. Among them were a couple of friends I'd informed of the opening.

The doors were opened at 9 a.m. sharp, revealing a spread of free snacks, coffee, and tote bags to greet the store's inaugural customers.

Once I was past the Bordersian wooden entrance doors, I headed for the checkout to nab another sticker, also successfully making the first purchase after the grand opening.

The mood was electric as book lovers of all walks of life excitedly perused the new store.

Books lined nearly every wall, with newspapers at the front left, and games and puzzles at the front right. Other merchandise, including a selection of Out of Print tote bags and various socks, is placed closer to the center.

Off to the right, a sizeable map department gives Barnes & Noble a run for their money.

At the rear is an extensive children's department, under whose low ceiling lies a variety of toys and literature.

In a departure from Schuler tradition, no music is offered here; nor is there a Chapbook Cafe.

Throughout the store, decor is minimal and nondescript; the only signage present is on the shelves themselves.

Seating was plentiful throughout, too.

Near the children's department, chairs were arranged for the store's first author visit, an eleven o'clock reading of The Night Before Eid by Aya Khalil.

I was only able to stay for the first hour, so I missed the reading; per an employee, I also missed a visit from the semi-retired owners later in the day.

As I left, however, I decided to take a half-mile stroll up Orchard Lake to pay a visit to the ghost of a bookstore past.

This eerie abandoned standalone Barnes & Noble was the only bookstore for miles around at the time of its December 2015 closure. It reportedly shut due to a raise in rent, which seems to have been a bad bet by the landlord, as no other tenant has used the space since.

The interior has deteriorated greatly since B&N moved out. Only a few hints of the store's decor still remain.

While the store may seem neglected beyond repair, a second life may soon be in store: the Township's planning commission recently greenlit plans to convert the building into a Tesla dealership. Time will tell how these plans pan out.

As for the area's former Borders- the chain's location in Hunters' Square, a quarter-mile south of today's Schuler, closed in January 2011 and became a Buy Buy Baby later that year. The ill-fated baby store moved its Farmington Hills location to Southfield in 2021, which is, in turn, now liquidating. The Hunters' Square space is, much like many of its neighbors, currently vacant.

In spirit, however, Schuler carries the torch of the fallen Ann Arbor bookseller, all these years later, even if only in West Bloomfield. This new store is just how I'd imagine a new Borders to look if the chain were still in business; its design blends the comfortable, cozy wood-laden environment of Borders and B&N with a few neat modern touches.