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Aristus

(71,782 posts)
Tue Sep 30, 2025, 02:30 PM Sep 2025

I went shopping yesterday at our new local Barnes & Noble bookstore.

It was such a wonderful feeling, after not having a book retailer in the area for almost twenty years, to walk into a bookstore, look at the displays, put together a wish-list, and then go to the counter to make a purchase, face-to-face with a real human being. The novelty of shopping from my couch and in my pajamas, has worn off. Bookstores are the best!

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I went shopping yesterday at our new local Barnes & Noble bookstore. (Original Post) Aristus Sep 2025 OP
Before Covid, Barnes and Noble had cushy leather chairs and round tables Polly Hennessey Sep 2025 #1
Our Barnes & Noble lost the coffee shop Tree Lady Sep 2025 #11
We are getting one in Strongsville, Ohio PittBlue Sep 2025 #2
There's been one in the next town for decades nuxvomica Sep 2025 #3
Love it! 👍 anciano Sep 2025 #4
Nice BlueWaveNeverEnd Sep 2025 #5
I'm at my library once a week JoseBalow Sep 2025 #6
Libraries are such welcoming places. So are small independent bookstores. erronis Sep 2025 #7
I rarely buy books anymore, simply because I'm out of shelf space for my 3,000 or so books. Aristus Oct 2025 #19
Same, which is the reason I broke down and bought a Kindle. yellowdogintexas Oct 2025 #27
E books definitely during Covid! Still do. But will get to my not too far away Central Bx library soon electric_blue68 Oct 2025 #24
I just went to a smallish-town bookstore yesterday! FireUpChips10 Sep 2025 #8
Small-ish towns (Luray, VA for example) have very cozy and welcoming used book stores. QueerDuck Sep 2025 #9
My home of Puyallup, Washington is supposed to be getting a second-hand book store soon. Aristus Oct 2025 #20
I love bookstores. Americanme Sep 2025 #10
Bookstore are great . . . . SarcasticSatyr Sep 2025 #12
I am fortunate that I have both very close to me. OldBaldy1701E Oct 2025 #23
Hooray!!! OddMom20 Sep 2025 #13
I love walking into my local Barnes & Noble, I share your joy! chia Sep 2025 #14
Agreed leftieNanner Sep 2025 #15
You've never struck me as a shrinking violet True Dough Sep 2025 #16
OK, 'fess up now. When you buy books as gifts, do you read them before wrapping them? Totally Tunsie Sep 2025 #17
It's sad, though, that the only place you can peruse and buy books like that is a national chain. In Charlottesville we Martin68 Oct 2025 #18
I'm a spoiled Brat. I kind of look down on Barnes and Nobel and have the luxury of having better... NNadir Oct 2025 #21
I preferred Borders Books & Music myself. Aristus Oct 2025 #22
Our biggest B&N is just north of Union Sq Park north end of The Village... electric_blue68 Oct 2025 #25
Love my local bookstore! 4TheArts Oct 2025 #26
For me, going to the library Diamond_Dog Oct 2025 #28

Polly Hennessey

(8,613 posts)
1. Before Covid, Barnes and Noble had cushy leather chairs and round tables
Tue Sep 30, 2025, 02:35 PM
Sep 2025

where people could look at their books before buying. Ours also had a Starbucks. Nice cup of coffee, relax, books. Always walked out with more books than I needed.

Tree Lady

(13,045 posts)
11. Our Barnes & Noble lost the coffee shop
Tue Sep 30, 2025, 05:23 PM
Sep 2025

And the comfy chairs, they only have a few hard chairs by the front door and window.

I usually go at Christmas to buy gifts. I read most my books online from library.

nuxvomica

(13,922 posts)
3. There's been one in the next town for decades
Tue Sep 30, 2025, 03:33 PM
Sep 2025

It's in a cluster of shopping centers and whenever I go shopping there I stop at the Barnes & Noble to use the bathroom and end up spending an hour or so browsing the books and always buying something. It used to be a combination bookstore and CD/DVD store but the latter was replaced with a huge toy section a few years ago.

JoseBalow

(9,220 posts)
6. I'm at my library once a week
Tue Sep 30, 2025, 04:26 PM
Sep 2025

Bookstores and libraries are some of my favorite places. I've never gotten into e-books or audio books, nothing beats turning the pages of a real book for me.

erronis

(22,852 posts)
7. Libraries are such welcoming places. So are small independent bookstores.
Tue Sep 30, 2025, 04:56 PM
Sep 2025

Over the years I've frequented most of the large book-selling chains but have recently gone back to my loves of my youth - local libraries and small used-book stores.

Aristus

(71,782 posts)
19. I rarely buy books anymore, simply because I'm out of shelf space for my 3,000 or so books.
Wed Oct 1, 2025, 10:03 AM
Oct 2025

I usually check out three or four books a month from the library. Like Thomas Jefferson said, I can't live without books.

yellowdogintexas

(23,598 posts)
27. Same, which is the reason I broke down and bought a Kindle.
Thu Oct 2, 2025, 09:09 PM
Oct 2025

I had acquired enough Amazon points through a work program to buy one. I have a ridiculous number of ebooks most of which were free or 99 cents but I have only purchased maybe 10 actual physical books since I got the Kindle. I am one of those oddballs who prefers the e-book because of the adjustable font, the backlit screen and the light touch to turn a page rather than trying to hold the book and turn a page at the same time.

electric_blue68

(26,168 posts)
24. E books definitely during Covid! Still do. But will get to my not too far away Central Bx library soon
Thu Oct 2, 2025, 08:58 PM
Oct 2025

FireUpChips10

(24,019 posts)
8. I just went to a smallish-town bookstore yesterday!
Tue Sep 30, 2025, 04:57 PM
Sep 2025

Well, population about 7,500.

They had a lounge there as well. I didn't get any books or gifts, but I did get a coffee.

I like the convenience of online shopping when I need it, but bricks-and-mortar stores are the way to go.

QueerDuck

(1,132 posts)
9. Small-ish towns (Luray, VA for example) have very cozy and welcoming used book stores.
Tue Sep 30, 2025, 05:10 PM
Sep 2025

It's always a treat.

Aristus

(71,782 posts)
20. My home of Puyallup, Washington is supposed to be getting a second-hand book store soon.
Wed Oct 1, 2025, 10:05 AM
Oct 2025

It was supposed to open in May, but I haven't heard anything about the opening yet. I'll have to shop both retail and used from now on, in order to help keep both stores open.

Americanme

(403 posts)
10. I love bookstores.
Tue Sep 30, 2025, 05:23 PM
Sep 2025

When I was a teen, back in the 70's, we had Readmore bookstore downtown, Walden Books and B.Dalton Bookseller in the mall, several used book stores, comic book shops, it was great. Now, as far as I know, we only have Barnes & Noble. I buy books, toys for the grandkids, I eat there occasionally. Thankful to have them here in our town.

OldBaldy1701E

(10,438 posts)
23. I am fortunate that I have both very close to me.
Thu Oct 2, 2025, 09:05 AM
Oct 2025

This B&N still has everything, the chairs and the coffee shop.

One can walk in, grab a book or magazine, and chill right there.

The used bookstore is a great way to rotate my library, as I often read the same book lots of times because I run out of material.

Plus, I have found some books that I wanted, but never could get.

Recently grabbed the entire first run of Burrough's 'Barsoom' series. ( love John Carter.)

OddMom20

(61 posts)
13. Hooray!!!
Tue Sep 30, 2025, 05:26 PM
Sep 2025

I love that you’re now able to enjoy the “bookstore experience!” Don’t get me wrong - libraries are wonderful, too. There’s just something about walking into a bookstore and enjoying the exploration. Enjoy!!

leftieNanner

(16,124 posts)
15. Agreed
Tue Sep 30, 2025, 05:32 PM
Sep 2025

But don't forget Kings Books next door to Doyle's (the Doyle's Dip is the best sandwich ever!) And Half Price Books.

I'll have to check out B&N.

True Dough

(25,976 posts)
16. You've never struck me as a shrinking violet
Tue Sep 30, 2025, 07:15 PM
Sep 2025

You should have trotted in there wearing your pajamas without being self-conscious in the least!

Totally Tunsie

(11,626 posts)
17. OK, 'fess up now. When you buy books as gifts, do you read them before wrapping them?
Tue Sep 30, 2025, 11:32 PM
Sep 2025


(I do, provided I've had enough time.)

Martin68

(27,174 posts)
18. It's sad, though, that the only place you can peruse and buy books like that is a national chain. In Charlottesville we
Wed Oct 1, 2025, 09:51 AM
Oct 2025

have three independent book stores where we can buy new and used books (and recycle the ones we've read). We also have a Barnes and Nobel, and I very occasionally go in if the other stores didn't have what I'm looking for.

NNadir

(37,384 posts)
21. I'm a spoiled Brat. I kind of look down on Barnes and Nobel and have the luxury of having better...
Wed Oct 1, 2025, 02:18 PM
Oct 2025

...bookstores around.

It breaks my heart though that University bookstores were all subcontracted to Barnes and Nobel.

That was one of the lost treasures of my life, browsing in University Bookstores.

Aristus

(71,782 posts)
22. I preferred Borders Books & Music myself.
Thu Oct 2, 2025, 08:36 AM
Oct 2025

But after two decades of no brick-and-mortar bookstores around, I'm happy with Barnes & Noble.

electric_blue68

(26,168 posts)
25. Our biggest B&N is just north of Union Sq Park north end of The Village...
Thu Oct 2, 2025, 09:01 PM
Oct 2025

Five floors, got a few nooks, and crannies to sit w books, or magazines.
🩷

4TheArts

(186 posts)
26. Love my local bookstore!
Thu Oct 2, 2025, 09:09 PM
Oct 2025

Small Appalachian town so no Barnes and Noble. Even the one that was up in Asheville is no more.
Here I can order from the lovely bookseller and do so often. I keep a free library at the Art Council I direct and keep replacing the good stuff.
History by Sarah Vowell, Hafiz, our local writers especially the poets, banned books, bunch of good fiction and non.
Have not ordered a book online in many years.

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