Barnes & Noble Booksellers

As much as I love going into bookstores and discovering new reads, I have to admit this location puts a damper on that. For example, I went in to buy a new release book about The Golden Girls and it was $ 35 on the shelf but $ 21 online with free shipping. I ask the cashier if he could match the price of their online site and he told me that I did not understand basic economics of retail. I explained to him that it was still more expensive than
but that did nothing to change his mind. There was also an older lady who was interested in the book and said she would just buy it through Amazon and save money and put the book back since they would not price match. All and all I’d rather go to a discount Bookseller or online then this location because there are no chairs easily found to sit in while discovering new reads as other Barnes & Noble locations have and it’s very frustrating that they will not match their own companies website. I guess I’m not as brilliant as the cashier working at this location on economics but noticed the books are still sitting on the shelf taking up space. This location does have a really good children’s section with a very good primary education selection and toys. There’s also a Starbucks that is above average in terms of quality inside the store.

Always helpful customer service and very knowledgeable staff. They need more cashier staff. Love how close it is to where I’m already shopping so that I can just pop in for a quick look.

This is a review for the Starbucks inside the B&N, as what kind of monster buys a book from a bookstore these days?
This is probably my favorite location to grab a Starbucks beverage as the lines are usually no more than 2 — 3 people deep. The seating area is normally pretty crowded so come early if you need a spot to sit. Normally I just grab my drink and go.

Nice, big B&N with a café. Great place to buy books and get a coffee and relax for a bit!

It’s a Barnes & Noble in a convenient location, but I wouldn’t come here if you’re expecting to do any sort of studying/​work on a laptop. Their café area is devoid of any outlets, and the other outlets in the store are «not for public use» as I was rudely informed by one of their employees. Barnes and Noble, if you plan on advertising yourself as a café to do work, please supply your customers with outlets so that they’re able to stay for longer periods of time and do work on laptops/​tablets. I won’t be returning.

Who doesn’t love whiling away a few lazy hours browsing in a bookstore? This is a well-​stocked store with a convenient location, including its own parking lot. However, if you want to cozy up with a few books or peruse some magazines, there are not many seating options other than the in-​store Starbucks. Big windows, quiet, and good drink & food options. Lots of people studying, working, and reading on a Monday evening. Not very comfortable seats, though, and if one were in a laptop I don’t see a ton of outlets. All-​in-​all this is a typical B & N – you know what you’re getting with the consistency of the chain, without the comforts and coziness of an independent bookstore. Not a bad place to spend some quiet time!

Sooo lets be honest, it’s 2015, how many of us actually walk into a store to buy a book? Well there were. Surprising amount of people at this B&N this afternoon.
It’s been a while since I’ve been in one, still had the same great feel it always has. I love book stores. I did have to wait a couple minutes to be helped at the desk, a couple of the employees seemed very confused About something. After being helped I was able to quickly locate what I came for.
I do happen to think the employees at a Half Priced Books Are friendlier. But overall what you would expect from a B&N.

I come here a lot to ready/​study/​whatever. This place used to have a lot more study spaces and couches, but not anymore.): Sometimes we have to resort to going to the kids section since the café gets really crowded, but we’ve been asked to move out of those areas a few times. xD
Free wifi, but it can be spotty sometimes.
It sucks that the Starbucks inside doesn’t take Starbucks cards, but you can just walk over to the Randall’s next door if you want to use your Starbucks card.
I rarely actually buy anything from here since you can find most things cheaper on Amazon.
This place is in a really great location though, and parking is easy peasy. There are several yummy restaurants in Vanderbilt Square and also a really nice nail salon, so you could easily spend a day in this square!

Can’t even remember the last time I walked into a brick and mortar store to buy a book. I needed a last minute gift, and I was honestly surprised that any of the big box book stores were still open.
The store was pretty busy due to holiday shopping and the weekend. I can’t remember how friendly and helpful employees are in these types of stores, but I didn’t receive any type of acknowledgment until I was making my purchase. Which, I guess was fine because I knew what I wanted and where to find it. I’m not a fan of being stalked around a store by fine overzealous employee, but I do appreciate a hello and a smile.
If my gift wasn’t last minute, I definitely would have purchased online. They definitely mark up the prices here. I noticed the sticker price on a couple books I own, and it was significantly higher than what I paid.

It’s been awhile, but at one point I was cramming for tests and running out of places to go study. Then I remembered when I was younger I would always come to the B & N near my house. This location is pretty close to my place and there are lots of tables. But there are not a lot of outlets. They did have Wifi. So I ended up only having a short session since when my laptop died it was time to go home.

One of my favorite Barnes and Noble in Houston. It’s very clean and organize. This B&N is right by the med center :) Plenty of lounge and seating area in the front right by the magazines and Starbucks… sometimes busy on peak exam days for college students. Staff is very helpful and goes out of their way to make your day. Easy to find your own little area/​corner to just dive into a book. So come over :)

1. No outlets?!
2. Good variety of books
3. Only a sub-​par study space
Okayy, the biggest downside is that there aren’t outlets at this bookstore, which makes this not a great study space to use your laptops or if you have a dying cellphone, sorry… the chairs are also not very comfortable… or ideal for a short female like me. XD I really wish there were tables scattered throughout the bookstore. It’s a good thing I don’t mind sitting on the carpet too much.
Otherwise, the employees at this barnes and noble seem to be pretty friendly!

Woohoo, Barnes & Noble! Great place to relax and check out all kinds of books. My weakness? Cookbooks, ALL kinds of cookbooks, all kinds of cuisines, all kinds of techniques, all the secrets. I love, love, love the fact that their clearance aisle is ample and includes a great selection of cookbooks too.
I was disappointed, however, when I first stopped in here because they have nowhere to sit like other locations. By this I mean, there are no chairs or tables in the book areas to sit down with your pile of books. So 1 of 2 things must occur: either you plop yourself down on the floor regardless of what your wearing and what might end up on your clothes OR your haul ALL your crap to the front where the deli area is. I hate this because the chairs there are hard and make it hard for me, personally (I have a broken tailbone) to sit comfortably, relax and research a pile I have in my hands to try and decide which one (s) I want to purchase.
This may be a much more convenient location; however, I may end up making the trek out to the River Oaks location on my next visit since it is close to my regular coffee shop, pet store and bagel shop.

Apart from being a nice chain bookstore, it’s a decent place to study. There tends to be a fair amount of people using the tables there, but you can usually find one.
The parking lot is nice and big and there are plenty of places around to eat.
The bookstore itself, one of my favorite sections is the discount books. Never know what you may find there…

i have tried so so hard to give this B&N a second/​third/​millionth chance, but they ALWAYS mess it up somehow. I’ve used their study section as well as their bookstore a countless number of times.
I’ll start with the study section: it’s not so bad, but the chairs aren’t padded or very comfortable. yes, Starbucks has chairs that aren’t either, but the ambience at Starbucks’/other coffee houses is A LOT better to get work done. also, the tables are always picked over, so you end up having to move around several times before you find «the spot.» there’s no plugs! they didn’t have wifi for the longest time either, so that was a huge pain.
now the TERRIBLE customer service & management. they seriously need a HUGE service team makeover– the workers here are CONSTANTLY talking amongst themselves, leaving no room to even ask any small thing. and once you do ask for help, they finish their conversation with a coworker before helping you.
this was my final straw: I went to exchange a childrens book (an exact even exchange). I get to the check out line FULL of people with multiple things to purchase, but the dude getting the $ 200 tablet got to go first literally in front of 3 of us. really? THEN when it was my turn (after about a 10 minute wait) the guy ringing me up told me I owed A PENNY!!! what in the world. I told him I could charge to my card but they’d be paying a $ 2.50 transaction fee (since I was so fed up). dude searched his pockets for a penny & I decided instead to run to my car to find a penny. I brought back 4 cents so he could put it in a penny jar WHICH HE REFUSED!!! I’m not done yet– when I was done checking out, he didn’t even give me my gift receipt back, which had numerous other items on there… I asked for it & he LOOKED IT THROUGH to make sure I was being honest or something.
I’m seriously DONE & OVER this location. I know for a fact this doesn’t represent the company as a whole because there are other locations where everyone has manners. on to the next one!!!

This is one of my favorite Barnes & Noble’s. I find myself always having to stop in to grab extra copies of the HBJ or some other print and they always have what I’m looking for. When I can’t find it myself, their employees find what I’m looking for quickly and efficiently. They are really friendly both in the store and in the café. Great place!

This B&N has an attached mini Starbucks/​sitting area that I’ve studied in quite a few times and this review is for how it stacks up as a study spot.
Pros:
— Most people here are reading, tutoring, or working on their laptops
— Pretty quiet compared to full size Starbucks (plus it’s inside a bookstore)
— It’s fun to people watch here
— Lots of seating and it’s usually pretty easy to snag a table to yourself.
— Free Wifi
— Lots of parking & a Chick-​fil-​A and Randalls right next door. Yummm.
Cons:
— Most uncomfortable chairs/​benches my bottom has experienced…=(
— No outlets, which could be a good thing if you want to limit your time
— Lighting was too dim for reading a textbook in the evening

Bookstores are an endangered species in this day and age. Chains like B&N and Borders used to eat the little mom and pops shops, and now, Amazon has essentially found a way to bring a whale into a lake.
Fortunately, this B&N is a stronghold that will be tough to bring down because of its great location and consistent influx of Baylor Medical and Rice University students. The students will keep the café pumping the caffeine through their veins, West University moms will bring their future Baylor and Rice prodigies, and folks like me who just like bookstores will do our best to conveniently support these businesses.
Even with my love of coffee and books in the same place, I’m finding myself at the local library a lot more than I am at the bookstore/​café these days…
Oh yeah, the store is clean and well-​maintained.

This review is mostly about their study section/​café. I stopped buying books from bookstores when Amazon was invented so all I can say is books here are EXTREMELY overpriced
Pros: fairly quiet, decent seating, free wifi, lots of people studying = motivation for me to study
Cons: stiff chairs/​benches, no power outlets (major con)
I like coming here to study vs. Starbucks or other coffeehouses b/​c people actually study here whereas folks are just chatting or gossiping at Starbucks. But I really think this place was purposely designed with the most uncomfortable seats on the planet and zero power outlets to force people to leave after 3 hours when their butt becomes numb or laptop runs out of battery… such tricksters
Their coffee isn’t as good as Starbucks, but close enough. Btw, you can’t use a Starbucks gc at the BN Café — they only brew Starbucks coffee and aren’t affiliated with the Starbucks company. I’ve seen people get seriously upset b/​c they can’t use their Starbucks app or gc… cry more

I grew up a Borders guy, but I learned to love this place as I used to live right next door to it. I went there maybe 300 out of 365 days my first year living in Houston.
I wasted so much money there too probably (usually I’d get a starbucks drink and just look around) but most of the time I’d end up buying a book.
Now I’m a lot busier and I don’t have that much time to shop or read. and also since those days I’ve acquired a Kindle. then an iPad. so I almost never buy real books anymore. Sad.
I still love to go here!
Also most Barnes and Nobles have way too much «all-​day» people who just bring a stack of books to a table and read for free. They all look crazy and seem to be investigating some type of government conspiracy. They usually look ALMOST homeless. it’s odd.
I learned the «all-​day» word when I overheard some Barnes and Nobles staff members on Westheimer and Voss complaining about them.
This location has a nicer staff that don’t make it clear how much they hate their customers (and I think this place has a lot better customers than most Barnes and Nobles).
I do have to admit that I hate it when Barnes and Nobles asks me if I’m a member every single time I buy something. Of course if I were a member I’d tell them (I used to be).
If you are going to push memberships onto people, just do it the way clothing stores do it. «Would you like to save 10% blah blah blah».
But ok, that’s another reason I liked Borders… and that is nothing against this Barnes and Nobles.