The downside: San Francisco natives won't have a place to go and read manga in Japanese (the Kinokuniya bookstore frowns on that...and shrinkwraps everything).
The upside? Manga Cafe Mika is selling ALL of its manga-- at a buck a pop. Mostly wrapped up in entire-series "bricks." They've already sold out of their English manga (it apparently went fast), but if you want some Japanese manga-- especially some of the classics --you can score a sweet deal.
As for why the business is closing, co-owner Bruce Nakahida says that they just didn't read the market right.
"We misread the anime and manga business in the U.S. -- it's completely different (than it is in Japan)...America doesn't have the cultural awareness of this kind of business...Maybe if we were in a different location, like near a university or college -- or maybe if it was part of a real café, where we could serve food and drinks."
(Protip: don't be a hobotaku, and if you MUST, try not to block the aisles and manga for the people who want to buy 'em.)
Infact when you/Jtor (I don't remember where I read it) posted about it originally I thought that it seemed like an un-sustainable business.
There is no "MUST" be a hobotaku. If you've got time to laze around getting in my way (and others') at Borders, you have time to get a job and then buy your stuff.
It's a shame that these thoughts only occur to him when the business is closing; if he had put the same effort in before opening they might still be a going concern.
as for buying manga in bookstores -- I typically buy the first copy to come in, snagging 'em right out of the box in the back room, before they even make it to the shelf and before the hobotaku can get their grubby, greasy mitts on 'em. There are some advantages to working at a bookstore.