Publishers Weekly brings bad news again:

Bookstore sales had their worst month of 2010 in September, with sales down 7.7%, to $1.51 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported this morning....For the entire retail segment, September sales were up 7.6% and nine month sales increased 6.3%.

Bookstores are down 2.6% for the year. It's important to note that those sales figures do not make a distinction between independent and corporate chain bookstores; I suspect that the chains, especially Borders, are eating it at a faster rate than the indies. Most indie bookstores in Seattle that I've talked to tell me that they're holding their own this year.