Nobody expected Barnes & Noble to make a comeback, opening 60 U.S. stores in 2024 and aiming for the same number this year. Our internet-shrunken attention spans had endangered B&N, but ironically the #BookTok trend saved it — and indie bookstores, too.

Unfortunately, the industry turnaround came too late for Borders, which had hundreds of locations nationwide but filed for bankruptcy in 2011. Whether you were there for the books, coffee or music, it’s hard not to look back fondly at Borders’ heyday. 

Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Borders carried its Midwestern roots across the country, providing customers with a welcoming atmosphere and friendly staff. Customers sat in its cafes, read books for hours, listened to CDs with oversized headphones, and quietly chatted with other bookworms. 

A number of poor decisions hurt Borders, especially turning its online sales over to Amazon from 2001 to 2008. That choice provided a competitor with access to Borders’ coveted customer database. It was also late to the e-book party, trailing Amazon’s Kindle by three years. Despite a legendary atmosphere, Borders simply could not turn its pages fast enough to keep up with the rapid changes of our culture that eventually produced #BookTok.

Betrayals: It’s not personal, just business

Wine: AI is transforming the sommelier space

Cuddle cafes: Sometimes we all need a hug

(Source: Shutterstock)

  Think office politics are bad at your workplace? If it’s limited to gossip about who sneaks too many snacks or misses too many deadlines, you’ll feel grateful after reading these Succession-worthy tales. They’re packed with shattered partnerships, crumbled fortunes and professional reputations left in ruins.

One Disney CEO’s Transition to Takeback

Bob Iger, Disney’s longtime CEO, handpicked Bob Chapek as his successor in 2020 but remained executive chair. Tensions arose as Chapek made controversial price-hiking and cost-cutting decisions — often without Iger’s input — that angered customers and employees. Even talent got angry; Scarlett Johansson sued over Black Widow’s surprise Disney+ premiere. Then there was a costly public battle with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, which didn’t help.

In November 2022, Disney’s board abruptly fired Chapek and reinstated Iger, who outmaneuvered his successor-slash-predecessor for control over Disney’s future. Chapek allegedly called Iger an “assassin.”

(It wasn’t Disney’s first epic internal battle either. From 1984 to 1994, Disney Studios chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg revitalized the brand with massive hits such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. Despite that, CEO Michael Eisner refused to promote him. Their bad blood led to Katzenberg’s firing; he immediately established DreamWorks with Steven Spielberg and David Geffen, which became Disney’s key rival in the animation space.)

The PayPal Mafia vs. Elon Musk

Circa 2000, then-PayPal CEO Elon Musk was rocking the boat with rebranding demands and other early examples of his top-down management style. Cofounder Peter Thiel and various board members — aka the PayPal Mafia — orchestrated a coup d’etat to dethrone Musk while he was on his honeymoon in Australia.

Needless to say, it worked out for Musk, who used his PayPal equity to form SpaceX.

The Nintendo PlayStation

Amid the early 1990s rush to embrace compact discs, Sony and Nintendo agreed to co-develop the PlayStation. Sony jumped the gun on announcing the near-complete console — to great consequence. The next day, Nintendo walked away from their deal, shocking both Sony and the entire video game industry. 

To add insult to injury, Nintendo formed a new partnership with Sony’s rival Philips.

Sony still forged ahead and in 1994 independently released the PlayStation, which became the bestselling video game console in history. You could even say that Sony beat Nintendo at its own game.

(Source: business.com)

Two-thirds of wine drinkers admit they can’t tell the difference between a $10 bottle and a $100 bottle. Can we become sauvignon-savvy by glancing at our phones while placing our order at happy hour?

While wine recommendation apps like Vivino have been around for over a decade, they have relied on user-generated data and reviews. AI is now providing a more individualized approach. The app VinoVoss asks you to “describe your perfect wine,” and then its AI-powered Smart Somm chatbot — trained by world-renowned sommeliers — will pick one in your budget.

“You can engage in a natural conversation about wine, asking detailed questions about tasting notes, food pairings or even which wine fits a specific occasion,” said VinoVoss co-founder and CEO Angel Vossough.

Another AI sommelier is Sommify, which can pair wines with meals and claims a “40 percent conversion of recipe shoppers into wine purchasers.” No word on whether those shoppers are spending $10 or $100.

(Source: Shutterstock)

In 2012, Tokyo introduced Soineya, its first “cuddle cafe,” which allows customers to snuggle or sleep next to strangers for a reported ¥6,000 to ¥9,000 per hour (about $40 to $60 today) for up to 10 consecutive hours. We know what you’re thinking.

“This is not a sex service,” a Soineya manager told ABC News at the time. “Japanese men are tired from excessive work hours. They just want to feel loved and cared for.”

The concept emphasizes platonic affection and connection through spooning, cradling, nuzzling, eye-to-eye contact, and napping. It expanded across Japan and arrived stateside via (now retired) Portland professional cuddler Samantha Hess, who even appeared on America’s Got Talent. The “strictly non-sexual” chain Snuggle Salon operates in San Francisco, San Diego, and New York City. Its FAQ implores clients, “Please do not ask your Snuggle Partner to wear special clothes unless you have an allergy to wool or something like that.”

As loneliness rates skyrocket in developed countries, especially among younger adults, perhaps the appeal of cuddle cafes isn’t so strange at all. Sometimes, people just need a hug.

Written by Ali Saleh, Dan Ketchum, and Lauren Vino.