Am I the only person who feels offended and a tad betrayed by that brand spankin' new TJ Maxx down the street? Am I the only person who yearns for Barnes and Noble to magically return? Who longs to walk through those paned glass doors and be greeted by the aroma of endless stories and freshly baked cookies?

Okay maybe that's the bookworm in me talking, but as someone who finds serenity among the bookshelves and customers milling about, I feel as though this new TJ Maxx has robbed me of a second home.

But it goes beyond that.

The Forest Hills Barnes and Noble location, which has been around since 1995, is scheduled to close in January of 2016, while the Bayside location will most likely be shuttered soon after that.

In a shocking, predatory move, TJX Companies Inc, the parent company of TJ Maxx, Homegoods, and others, is offering to pay higher rents to building owners, therefore practically buying Barnes and Noble stores right out of their storefronts. But no, it's not just TJX. It's Target too. What do you think is going to replace the Barnes and Noble in Forest Hills? The larger, more rich companies are taking advantage of the book retailer's already mildly compromised state and simply making things even worse.

While home furnishings, low-price clothes, and beauty essentials are equally valuable, there's something to be said about the community that book stores create.

Individuals from all corners of Queens have banded together, leaving their comments and opinions on a petition page to save the Bayside Barnes and Noble. Everyone, from well known investors to multitudes of students, has mentioned something along the lines of "We need this place!" And it's true. We do need this place; even if we don't realize that we do.

Barnes and Noble stores everywhere are home to innumerable school events, book fairs, fundraisers, children's story time, and more. These bookstores are more than just a place to buy hardcovers and paperbacks; they are places to connect, to meet people with common interests, to help out causes, to relax, study, or spend time with friends. I don't just say it because I'm a huge nerd with a collection of books that is practically falling out of my bookcase, but simply as another member of the community. Book stores are second homes, and a lot of people––and events––are going to be lost without them.

There is currently a petition running to save the Bayside Barnes and Noble location; it has already garnered over three thousand signatures and supporters. Additionally, supporters have created a Facebook page with the same motive.

Will we get Barnes and Noble back? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.