They’re still going strong and still one of the finest independent bookstores in the US. Right now, they’re trying to build a cafe next door to their store and in an age of chain bookstores, e-books, and Amazon Kindles, I believe indy stores like Borderlands need all the support we can give them, or we’re in danger of losing their warmth and personal service for good. On a cheerier note, I can only imagine how fabulous a cafe would be next to Borderlands. They need a city-approved conditional-use permit to do so, and Cheryl Morgan is helping with an online petition you can sign that would help Borderlands’ cause. Doesn’t matter if you live outside of San Francisco, or even outside the USA — your name still counts. Take a second, and help out, OK? And a special shoutout to any authors who have done signings at the store and who have been supported by Borderlands (ahem…John Scalzi, Cory Doctorow, Jeff Ford, etc…..) — please sign the petition, and then you might even blog about it and spread the word. Besides signing the petition, I’m also nominating Alan Beatts, Jude Feldman, and Borderlands Books for the World Fantasy Award / Special Award (Professional). They’re an integral part of the fantasy lit community and they’ve been a steady bar of retail excellence for years. I encourage other World Fantasy voters to consider them when they fill out their ballots this month.