Hands down I prefer to support locally owned book sellers at all costs. However, with that said, there are times when I need something they don't carry. Yes, I can ask smaller retailers to order for me. But, typically, it's something needed straight away for work; like the latest issue of Vogue whilst waiting for subscription renewal. In times like these, I will find myself at a big box operation like B&N. The customer service I've received here is pretty decent and almost as good as the privately owned places. They have lots and lots of everything here. I won't hesitate to use them again in the future when the need absolutely presents itself. read more

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It has been a minute since we've been to Barnes and Noble - Austin bookstore. Barnes & Noble is physically connected to GameStop and houses a Starbucks inside the bookstore. It's a one-stop shopping location - books primarily, reader accessories, calendars, toys. greeting cards, note and thank you cards. Prices at Barnes & Noble range from extreme low to moderate. The format of the store is self-service until you reach the counter. read more

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I recently attended for an author signing. The space was extremely cramped with chairs being right on top of the people in the rows in front of and behind. We had patrons not there for the signing trying to get through to browse but they were unable to. The speakers were not loud enough for us to hear at the back of the session and we couldn't even see the author since she was not raised above the audience. I felt like I was listening to a podcast rather than an in person event. Way too many people in the space and the speakers kept going in and out. The space was extremely warm due to all the people. The book signing following the event took forever taking over 2hrs. The event was highly unorganized and not well planned. A serious disappointment. read more

Just visited this location with my son since he wanted to check their "manga" section. This location has a lot of everything. I used to visit it when I live closer and it's always nice where is located. The arboretum offers a lot of eating and shopping options. He found some great magazines of his interest and I was able to find a very cute notebook with the sacred flower as the pattern. I've been looking for this for a while. I didn't think I was going to find it here. The staff is super helpful and ready to answer questions. With all online options it's really nice going to a real place where you can hold books, and read directly from them instead of a screen. read more

Barnes & Noble - Austin - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

I love this location! It's in a great area, close to a courtyard and good eats. This bookstore is two stories and has something for everyone. I've bought plenty books and even a puzzle here. My only two criticisms are the cafe's coffee has never been good. And the books are a lot pricier than Amazon, but I love tangibly shopping for books so I support when I can :) read more

I recommend paying close attention to the price you're charged. I selected my books from a table that was clearly marked "Buy One, Get the Second 50% Off." However, when I went to check out, the employee insisted the promotion didn't apply. Instead of helping resolve the issue, the interaction became unnecessarily argumentative, and the employee seemed frustrated throughout the conversation. I left feeling embarrassed over what should have been a simple checkout experience. No customer should spend their money and leave feeling that way. Unfortunately, because of this experience, I won't be returning or giving this location or business any more of my money. read more

Pretty average Barnes and Noble! Good selection of books and stationary and everything you can expect at your usual Barnes. They hosted an author event for a romantasy book author that was cool to attend! Was actually pretty packed and had to leave early before getting my book signed but that's ok. Pretty average prices for books as well. I don't mind the few extra bucks (if there even are any compared to other bookstores) since it's one of the last bookstore chains left. Staff is super helpful and I was actually there when they had to call an ambulance for a man who passed out and they were super great with the whole situation. The bathrooms could be cleaned though read more

Barnes & Noble - Austin - Jasmine Maas author event - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

Been here a few times for book signings! Nice clean place. The ladies here are so sweet and helpful. We com from SATX and they are always so helpful here. The books are always reasonable, and many of books to choose from. read more

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This is a large Barnes & Noble with two stories. This is a nice bookstore but not quite a good place to actually sit down and read a book. There are only tables in the Starbucks but not in the actual store. There's a few seats on the second floor, but no tables, so there isn't really a comfy place to sit down and read or work. I think this is a good bookstore, but there should be more seating areas with tables! Even if you do snag a chair, reading without a desk/table is not comfortable. read more

Barnes & Noble - Austin - View from second floor - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

Everyone is pretty friendly here. The restrooms are clean. The children's sections is spacious and my kiddo loves playing with the toy train area. It's pretty cool quiet spot to check out. It's two stories high and they even have a Starbucks. I haven't been able to try out the drinks. Overall, it's cool spot to check out with kiddos too! read more

Barnes & Noble - Austin - Children's section - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

I don't get her much, prefer smaller bookstores but now and then it is cool to go and take a look and see what they have to offer. We swung by on a rainy day to look for some current books and get a coffee. Always a relaxing time and fun to see some writers that I can either get then or remember for future books to pick up. It is a Barnes and Noble, they all work pretty much the same. You know how it is and how it goes. read more

Barnes & Noble - Austin - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

Absolutely wonderful for book lover's! This place has a great variety of everything! Gifts, all kinds of educational books etc. My grandkids loved everything I purchased for them this Christmas! read more

A huge barnes and noble with two stories!! We walked in on a weekend afternoon, and there were several other customers. The store was very clean and organized by genre and media type. A ton of games, plush toys, lego sets, small gifts and trinkets. There's something for everyone! There were multiple tables with 50% off on mugs, books, waterbottles, reading accessories, and more. The employees were friendly when we checked out too! The value for these discounted items were pretty good; the items not on sale are definitely on the pricy side compared to other local bookstores. The cafe/bakery also had a large variety of snacks, drinks, and desserts, such as many flavors of cheesecake! read more

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These people completely ruined my day. Was trying to read trying to read invincible at the store buy they told me no because they thought I was going to steal. This is completely unlawful behavior towards me and I asked if other people stole the same book and they said no and I asked in my mind "why are they telling me no" when weeks ago some other lady let me read it and take it to read upstairs and this lady decided to say no for NO reason at all. read more

Barnes & Noble - Austin - the books they have behind the register when it's suppose to be out in the comic section . and thinking I was gonna steal it is wild. - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

THE BIG: Two story Barnes and Noble bookstore located in the Arboretum area of North Austin. Plenty of parking in the parking lots. THE BLACK AND WHITE: I love this Barnes and Noble. If I want to get out of the house with no where to go, I typically go to this bookstore. When you walk in, you are immediately hit with that paper smell. Magazines, kids section, and knick knacks are on the main floor. The second floor has cookbooks, non fiction, and self help books. If you're feeling coffee or a cafe snack, there is a cafe located on the main floor with plenty of seating for a laptop or reading mags/books. Additionally if you want to go and buy some video games, there is a connected entrance to the Gamestop next door. THE FINAL BAMBOO: Great way to spend a few hours just smelling and reading the books. Cafe offers a nice work space and caffeine to be productive. read more

The staff is always helpful and the store has a nice selection of books. It's is best to set up the rewards program though to receive the the additional discount. read more

Rainy day Sunday, what better place to be than a book store. Had a grande drink from their Starbucks, and walked around. Such a huge book store. Friendly service and it's always well organized and clean. read more

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Always good. They gave what we are looking for, checkout is easy and friendly, and parking is plentiful.

It's been a while since I've been to a Barnes & Noble and it's my first time at this location! They have an escalator and elevator! The first floor is all the fiction and toys and second floor has puzzles, records, cookbooks, religious books. They included webtoons in the Manga section, and though they aren't Manga, I'm really happy to see them in print! You can read webtoons through the webtoon app too The girl who helped me find where The Cursed Princess Club was was really nice, but it was difficult to tell if she worked there or not. After a while of seeing her looking through books, I decided to ask. Seeing older books that I've read such as Twilight brought a lot of memories. I love the variety of books they have here. There are also board games. They sell a lot of good stuff! Oh, it's also across from GameStop. I think they also serve coffee? But I didn't take a picture of it, whoops read more

I mean it's a Barnes and noble? If you've seen one you've seen them all. It's not the biggest I've been to but lots of selection and get this.... They have books! Lots of books! read more

This totally took me back to when I was a teenager and I remember my mom bringing me to buy a book. It's so spacious, live the second floor and all the little hidden nooks and chairs it has to take a seat and chill/read. read more

My daughters love to read which they have carried into adulthood with their families. When they were young every other Saturday was daddy day. We would start with lunch then a trip to Barnes & Noble at the Arboretum to get each a book. It was a great Saturday and I miss it even today. Thank you, Barnes & Noble Francis C Jackson read more

I visited this Barnes and Noble with my dad two days ago for a special occasion. The overall selection of books was great but how they are arranged in store makes it difficult to find books and aisles are really narrow. The main issue I had with this visit was with a bookseller we checked out with, Crystal C (according to my receipt, I didn't ask her name). She was extremely sarcastic to both of us and was very rude for no reason. This was the first bad experience I've had at any Barnes and Noble and I will be sure to avoid this bookseller in the future. read more

A pretty large selection of books is at this store but the sections are strangely laid out. There's a giant section for kids toys and there is also an upper level. I needed to use the restroom and unfortunately, it was pretty gross with toilet paper all over the floor. It was hard having to shake it off your shoes. Not the best experience. Parking is decent but you're in the Arboretum and it can get quite busy. read more

I actually like this location of Barnes and Nobles. The staff are friendly and helpful, and the adult section of the store is huge. The Starbucks attached sucks, but it's Barnes and Nobles that's being reviewed and not the Starbucks. I enjoy staying an afternoon at Barnes and Nobles to binge read books instead of buying them. I don't see much of a game section at Barnes and Nobles except for maybe four shelves. The manga section doesn't even have the tall bookshelves Barnes and Nobles usually puts their other books on. The manga shelves are squat, and filled to the brim. That makes taking books and putting them back in difficult. The adult is huge. Think several shelves. The young adult section is well-sized, but not as big as the Adults section. Nowadays the people you see at bookstores are old, or parents of young kids that are desperately trying to get their kids hooked on reading. The huge children's literature section is a testimony to that. On the occasion, you may see some college students upstairs where all the autobiographies are located. Don't count on nabbing a couch or a table because those get taken up damn quickly by college aged kids. Any time is always a great time to visit Barnes and Nobles. It's never crowded, and neither is the GameStop next door. Parking is ample. You shouldn't have problems finding parking in the Arboretum shopping center. My only complaint is that the parking spaces outside are narrow. So it's hard to me to butt park with my SUV. If there's seriously no space outside to park, then the Cheesecake Factory next door has a parking garage nearby. read more

This is a huge B&N location, maybe one of the biggest I've ever been in. I was surprised to find the music related magazine section was pretty lacking, but maybe it was just picked over and everything I was looking for had already been purchased. This was a nice shopping center and I think this Barnes and Nobel location fits in it well. read more

Barnes & Noble - Austin - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is such a huge book store and has so many categories of books that I can get lost looking around for hours! They also have a big cafe that I didn't try out but I saw many people there. The kids area has a huge selection of books but it is geared towards the younger kids so it would be nice to have a bigger selection of chapter books for the 10-13 year olds. The reason I gave it only a 4 star is because the seating area is so small especially for such a big store that I think that there should be much more seating around the store for people like me that like to look for hours before they buy. Other than that, there is something for everyone in this Barnes and Nobles and if you can't find it on the shelves then I'm sure they can order it for you. read more

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My favorite place to go in all of Austin. Bring your own book, or head down aisles upon aisles of journals, books, magazines, comics, mangas, whatever you're looking for to scope out. Occasionally when I come here on the weekend, there is a frequent book signing or some sort of Children's read along event happening. The staff here are very helpful and fun when looking for something to purchase or insight for whatever you may need more details about. Though they have starbucks coffee, they do not take Starbucks gift card credits, so head yourself over to the Starbucks on great hills or Target for a drink if you're fiending for your star rewards. Though, if you have a B&N membership card, you're entitled to a discount rate. Finally, you'd be surprised what a BOOK store actually sells now, I really enjoy the flux of puzzles, 3D puzzles, lego models, toys, cat piano (my favorite), stuffed animals, pop figures, abundance of calendars, music vinyls and CDs, tote bags and SO much Harry Potter stuffs, along with Laptop trays and cute bookmarks and pop-up cards. I only buy my holiday gift cards from B&N and if you wait long enough, Christmas cards on clearance for an amazing discount! Comfy chairs, relaxing environment, I could just stay here all day. Free wifi, can't be beat! read more

Barnes & Noble - Austin - Peaceful book aisle - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

I rushed into the arboretum store 15 min before closing (I know, I know) frantically looking for some last minute Xmas gift books. Richard helped me find the books and was so incredibly friendly about it. I even apologized for showing up so close to closing and he was so kind to me about that. Later as I got in the check out line he even followed up with me to make sure I found the books I was looking for. He made my day and I would shop at this location again just for that. Thank you, Richard! read more

Filthy store. Few chairs anymore and other customers each hogging two chairs a piece. Restroom filthy. Waiting in cashier line. One cashier who spent 10 minutes chatting with customer about nothing while line fills up. Left book and told cashier I would go to Amazon on the way out. read more

Love this place. It's always organized to perfection and the employees are always super helpful and pleasant. I usually go here for calendars around December when it's usually really busy. Despite my timing I have never had to wait in a long line due to the efforts of the staff here. These guys know what they're doing!! read more

Me: Hi. I'm looking for a Betty La Vette CD for a gift for my husband. Sales Guy: Who? Me: Uh...Betty La Vette... L a V e t t e. She's a blues singer. The CD I'm looking for is "To Hell". Sales Guy: Oooookay. Let's go look in that section. ********* Sales Guy: No. I don't find anything by a Betty La Vette and no "To Hell". Was that the name? Me: Yeah. Sales Guy: Maybe I can look her up online. Me: That would be great. Sales Guy: There are several you can order online but she is produced by a UK recording company. We just don't stock her CDs. Me: ( Sigh.) Welcome to my world. Sales Guy: It won't get here by Christmas but you can tell him it's coming. My husband's Christmas list is filled with obscurity. It is an intentional examination of my fortitude and devotion. "To Hell" is an appropriate name for the impossible to find CD because that's where I've gone to find it. I have the idea that I should just get him Willie Nelson and be done with it. Put that in your stocking, Mr. A! read more

The biggest Barnes & Noble I've ever seen! (What they say about everything being bigger in Texas is true!) Every year I order my new appointment book from B&N. They carry "Family Planners", the kind that break out the day hourly. Admittedly, since I no longer have a young family, I really don't need this set-up. But habits die hard; and since I enter appointments into my calendar phone, then forget too look at it, I prefer the pen to paper action. But I digress... These planners have a start month of August, but it isn't until after the holidays that they get marked down on clearance. Usually, I head to my local B&N just after New Year. This year I forgot (see previous paragraph about not really needing this appointment book anymore.) I wasn't even sure there was a B&N in Austin (Of course there is. Austin has everything.) so I was thrilled to go online, find my book at 75% off instead of the normal 50%, see that a local location had it in stock (being in a tech town, I guess few people appreciate the pen to paper action as much as I), place my order, and schedule pickup at nearby Arboretum. I've been to the Arboretum before, but only once, to a store just off the road. I had no idea how vast it is! We actually had to GPS B&N! Once we found it, though, it was easy to park, run inside and be out in maybe a minute. It was just before closing, few people were in the store. An associate was right there to retrieve my item and he was super friendly. I always love when associates are friendly, indicates to me that they love their job and work for a good company. So, yes, I give this Barnes & Noble five stars. I may even visit again before next year. read more

Fortunately, Barnes & Noble does not have the air of desperation I expected of a brick-and-mortar bookstore in 2015. I really only shop here for a few things: Travel guides when I need it ASAP to start planning travel, Coloring books so you can browse through them (which is usually not allowed online) Clearance I used to love the bookstore as a kid. I'm glad there is still a place where younger ones can come to browse. read more

Do not order from the cafe! Friendly advice. This is a great store if you have not been. It is very large compared to other locations and has an OK selection. The entire experience is worth it if you simply want to check out some place new. I visit regularly even if just to waste time. I would not suggest trying to come here to get a table or chair though because that is what the rest of the city is doing. The place is usually full, but the rows are not crowded. Do not however go to the coffee shop here! I ordered a drink and it had some kind of cleaning agent or something certainly not coffee in it. I got a soap latte I suppose. The store did not care in the least except offering to buy me another coffee. In what world do I want another soap latte? Offering someone more of your terrible product is never the solution. Also the staff at this cafe will make you hold on while they finish their conversation just like the gang at Paddys Pub. I also could not tell if the clerk at this location was slow or just hated customers. I get hating customers, but come on guy figure it out. read more

It's a shame these guys are going the way of most big box stores. They always have rad gifts that I know will always be there and they have a nice staff. read more

Barnes & Noble - Austin - Books! - Bookstores Near Me - Austin, Texas

My girlfriend and I had a five star experience at Barnes & Noble today. We grabbed a strong coffee and sat in the sitting area. It's very cozy and comfortable. The best part was this little girl maybe about eight or nine years old came up to me and wanted to give me a hug! Super special. I always enjoy looking at the unique curios and gifts. I could not resist buying the palmistry set. Super cool. I always head straight to the metaphysical section. Which by the way it's pretty darn good. And if you don't see what you're looking for, just ask. They'd be happy to order it for you. See you soon! read more

I went here for an event. It was a book signing for Chris Hogan's new Everyday Millionaires book. I want to say that the workers at this book store were pleasant. The place was tidy. The selection of books, vinyl, etc. was very good. The parking was plentiful (even though I had to drive around for about 4 minutes looking for a place -- I had arrived 2 minutes before the event and there were a lot of people there!)... The place was spacious. A great time was had by all. Thanks, Barnes & Noble. read more

I really like Barnes and Noble. If I can't find what I need at my local shop I always think of this box shop. They might be a little pricier but they usually have what you need or the customer service is at a level to make things possible for you. They have so much more than books. They have games, science kits, stationary, a great children's section, magazines, coffee, and a game stop attached. They have lots of great kitschy stuff for various holidays and often have author signings. read more

Amazing store with a large collection of books and media. Very nice and helpful staff and amazing management. This is the best bookstore in Texas. read more