Borders to close its Westwood location on Jan. 7 after 15 years of operation

Four times a week, Russell Huntsman sits in the corner of the first floor of Borders, book in hand.

He prefers fiction books, especially horror and drama. They keep him entertained during the quiet afternoons of his unemployment.

But the Borders on Westwood Boulevard, which has been Huntsman’s tranquil retreat for the past 10 months, is set to close on Jan. 7, according to general manager Carlos Casanova.

“It’s very sad,” said Huntsman, a resident of Westwood. “I knew that the store was going to close before most other people did. I have great memories of this place, and I’ll definitely leave this place in a positive note.”

Huntsman said he knows about 20 people who come to the Borders every day to read. Sometimes, he and five others get together at night to discuss politics and events in the world at large.

Since opening in 1995, the Westwood Borders has also been home to a number of book clubs and special events. Huntsman recalls a few book signings he has attended in the past couple months, including those by former president Jimmy Carter and singer Pat Benatar.

These groups and events will likely relocate to another bookstore in the area, or another Borders, Casanova said.

Though he is leaving California before the store closes to seek employment opportunities elsewhere, Huntsman said he will miss the peaceful atmosphere of the Westwood bookstore, which is one of the main reasons he prefers this location to other stores in the area.

“Even during a weekend sale, there’s always empty parts of the store to relax in,” Huntsman said. “Then again, that might be a part of the reason for its closure.”

Lenny Kang, a UCLA alumnus, also said he liked the relaxing atmosphere of this particular Borders store.

“When I went to college here, I used to come and study two to three times a week,” Kang said. “It was one of the few places where spots were open to study, especially since the libraries were so crowded.”

Kang, who graduated in 2003, said the store hasn’t changed much since he was in school. But instead of studying there like he did years ago, now whenever he and his wife run errands in the area, he always tells her to meet him at Borders.

Though Kang and Huntsman are store regulars, most people who were at Borders on Saturday said they do not go often. Many came for the storewide going-out-of-business sale.

“I just stopped by to pick up some books … for people because of the sale,” said Melissa Rogers, a Westwood resident.

Rogers said she would not particularly miss Borders after it closes because there are other bookstores in the area, like Barnes and Noble on Pico Boulevard.

According to Borders’ second-quarter financials, sales were down 11.5 percent from the same period a year ago, although Borders.com sales increased by 56.2 percent.

The company reported a loss of $51.6 million from May 31 to July 31.

Employees at Borders declined to speak without permission from the corporate office. The corporate office could not be reached for comment.