Okay I thought I was done for the week but then agent extraordinaire Mike Kabongo of the OnyxHawke Agency posted a very well-written article about why B&N is failing as a business model. Me being me, I had to post a link.
Mike’s got some valid points, especially the difference between readers in Massachusetts and Colorado and what they will read. Cookie cutter methodology is not something you want to apply to bookstores that are chains nationwide.
Jason Córdova 
I agree, Jason, with Mike K. the OnyxHawke. I’ve been frustrated with Barnes and Noble’s so-called “business model” ever since they took to it — all of a sudden they have fewer SF/F books overall, and mostly they have stuff that’s either been out forever (proven sellers, but not ones that will be huge sellers if you get my drift) or they have the newest, trendiest and hippest stuff that may not do well in SE WI. I don’t see the point to that — and at least one of the clerks at the store has agreed with me, but she said she could do nothing because even the managers weren’t able to change this.
When your managers are unable to do anything because upper management doesn’t want to hear it, that’s usually the sign of a failing business model. I suppose it’s still possible that B&N can pull it out, but they need to cede back control of departments and stores to the managers who run them if they wish to have any hope at all of eventual success. Then keep their hands off for at least a year.