Company Overview

Borders has come a long way from its 1971 beginning as an independent bookseller in the college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Today, with 475 Borders superstores in the U.S., 56 Borders stores overseas, primarily in the U.K. and Pacific Rim, 31 Books etc. stores in England, and more than 600 mall-based and other book stores (more than 125 Waldenbooks stores are now Borders Express or Borders Outlet shops), Borders is surpassed in size only by Barnes & Noble. And like its rival, Borders also sells music, videos, and DVDs. The company has brought its brand of literate culture to a suburb near you, where it hosts in-store appearances by writers, artists, and musicians. Borders was one of the first large chains to incorporate the now-familiar espresso-plus-books formula. Borders opens 50 new stores annually on the average, expanding not only by location but also by product. The company also owns 97 percent of Paperchase Products, a U.K. retailer, and about 100 U.S. superstores also carry gifts and stationery items through that line. In 1997, Borders opened its first overseas location, in Singapore. Today it has locations in Singapore, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia in addition to the United States. The company opened its first store in Ireland and, with the Maya Group, has an agreement to franchise stores in United Arab Emirates.