A century-old bank lobby turned longtime Walgreens has now found its best incarnation yet: a bright, airy bookstore that finally lets the architecture breathe again. The space is impressively well lit, which makes the restored details pop in a way the old drugstore layout never quite managed. Two retail levels give the store a great sense of openness. The main floor handles the usual mix of books and gifts, but the second level is the real draw -- a wraparound perch with a legitimately good LEGO selection and a panoramic view over the entire interior. From up there, you can appreciate how well the renovation highlights the building's bones without feeling museum‑stuffy. If you knew the Walgreens era, you'll remember the old bank vault downstairs -- cleverly repurposed as the vitamin section, complete with safe‑deposit boxes used as shelving. Unfortunately, that lower level isn't accessible anymore, which feels like a missed opportunity. The vault is still down there, just out of reach, like a piece of Chicago history you can see but not touch. Still, as adaptive reuse goes, it's a standout: a historic space finally given a purpose that matches its scale and character. read more

We still love visiting bookstores ... almost a lost art ... and this Barnes & Noble is a great representative of them. Situated in and old bank building on a six corners intersection in Wicker Park, this outlet had a great selection of books and puzzles, and stationary. While it has a nice selection of kids books, there is no area to read to them ... as you often find in other outlets. But being an inner-city retail establishment, one can understand. Parking can be a pain in this busy area, but it can be found. Still and all, this is a very nice retail bookstore, a slowly dying breed. Do visit here. read more

04/22/26 - What a great space. This use to be Walgreens, before that it was a bank. I'm so glad Barnes & Noble decided to use this wonderful space. This Barnes & Noble is on 6 corners @ 1601 N Milwaukee Ave where North Ave, Damen, Milwaukee Avenues meet. This is a beautiful space that was originally a bank. At some point Walgreens took the space and renovated it. After Walgreens left Barnes & Noble decided to make it into one of their stores. It's such a beautiful space. As you walk in at the corner of the 3 streets you enter into a beautiful 2 story space w/coffered ceilings, large vertical windows that flood the space w/a lot of natural light. In the center of this large volume of space there is a beautifully designed hexagonal skylight that is a masterpiece that floods the room w/natural light as well as providing a beautiful central feature within the coffered ceiling. This is really a wonderful space that Barnes & Noble has taken advantage of. It's beautiful space that has very limited seating. I guess they don't want to provide a library atmosphere still it would have been nice to have a few extra seats. On one side there is an escalator that goes up to the second floor loft space where you can look down on the first floor. One thing they put book shelves across the rail side which gives a limited visual down to the first floor. On a side note the bank & Walgreens both utilized the basement space where they had a large vault. Walgreens used it to put their nutritional products. Unfortunately Barnes & Noble has chosen to close of access to the basement which was a very cool space. read more

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Prettiest book store I've ever been in! Went just to gawk at the gorgeous architecture. The store is so well and interestingly set up in a weirdly shaped space. If I lived in Chicago I'd be there all the time! The gifty section always sucks me in at B&N and I wanted ro buy everything. GREAT store in a super fun area! read more

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My husband and I went to check out this B&N, in a beautiful old bank building, because I love a unique bookstore. This location is large (2 stories) and had a lot of selection. I noticed that due to the shelf configuration, foot traffic seemed to bottleneck in a couple areas, including close to the door, which wouldn't be great in an emergency. In addition to books, there is a large section of puzzles and games, a big and very organized children's section, and a nice area of local materials. There is also absolutely no where to sit. My disabled self needed to rest while my husband was downstairs in the massive line for the men's room, so I just pulled up an obliging kik-step rather than try to sit down on and then get up off the floor. It's very much a "buy your stuff and get out" vibe, as opposed to the old vibe of B&N. read more

Barnes & Noble - Overhead view of the first floor. Some areas bottleneck badly due to shelf configuration which would be bad in an emergency - Bookstores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Beautiful Barnes and noble in an old bank! There is a great selection of books here. The ceiling is gorgeous. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So my social media algorithm got me with this one. I saw this beautiful Barnes and Noble in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago pop up on the feed for the @1000libraries page on Instagram. I usually like to support local, independently-owned bookstores while traveling... but I couldn't resist ALSO visiting this B&N location. My travel buddy and I took a Lyft and made our way to the location on N. Milwaukee Ave. The unique outdoor facade of this B&N made it instantly recognizable from the Instagram post as soon as we got near it. Upon entering, the ceiling of the store and the general design captivate you... this store certainly feels a bit more elevated for a B&N location. I was also fortunate to be able to visit this location during the day on a random Thursday. I feel like this allowed me to experience the store without too many folks wandering around and shopping at the same time. I'd say there were maybe 10-12 other people inside (besides employees)? Of course, I had to check out the 2nd floor as well. One of my plans had been to visit this store and purchase a coffee table book of Chicago as one of my souvenirs from the trip. There were plenty such books in the upstairs shelving areas, along with those focused on arts, politics, cooking, sports, and whatnot. After checking out the second floor, I wandered back downstairs and picked a couple final books to purchase before making my way to the register. I was a bit sad that this location doesn't have a cafe (or, if it did, I totally missed it), but I digress. I purchased all my book goodies and made sure to enjoy the ceiling and general architecture of the store one last time before heading back to the hotel. TL;DR Glad to have been convinced by my Insta algorithm to visit this beautiful Barnes and Noble location. Sure, it's a chain store... but the architecture is lovely and transports you a bit while you're nerding out over their selection of books. :) read more

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This Barnes & Noble in Chicago is truly something special. it's not just a bookstore, it's an experience!! The moment you walk in, you feel like you've stepped into a different era. The building is a former bank, and the elegance is everywhere you look. The ceiling alone is a masterpiece, the kind that makes you stop and stare. The store is huge, spread across two beautiful floors connected by escalators, and the book selection is wonderfully unique with same normal prices. But what made my visit unforgettable was the staff. They were warm, friendly, and genuinely welcoming. They even let us take birthday photos inside and have a little birthday photo session ! such a thoughtful gesture that made the day extra special. If you're in Chicago, don't miss this place. It's the most charming and memorable Barnes & Noble I've ever visited! Perfect for book lovers, architecture lovers, or anyone who enjoys spectacular book space read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Well stocked bookstore, but if you're looking for a cafe, keep looking. There's no cafe and about three chairs in the store. Strictly for shopping, not for sitting and reading. read more

Beautiful book store!! I was in awe as soon as I walked in. So bright and airy, colorful decor, easy to navigate and so much to see. I appreciated how large it was. So much space to walk around. There is an escalator to take you to the second level, and the views are so lovely from there tool I love the ceiling! The store is easy to navigate and everything is labeled well and easy to find. Very cohesive and the the layout makes sense. read more

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Beautiful Barnes & Noble, very instagram worthy for photos. This in a busy up and coming area so lots of people going in and out. The stacks are relatively close together, lots of selection, nicely laid out. There are also a good amount of people that are around to help you find selections as well as checkout. Definitely not an area you can easily park by, but a very easy walk to off of the Damen Blue Line station. It does appear bigger in the instagram photos, but it's still a pretty large store. There's only one place to sit on the second level. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Dazzling building outside, inside and upside. I don't just mean the 2nd floor but lookup at the ceiling. They've done a great job organizing the uneven space in a manner that is both interesting and inviting. I love Barnes & Noble and the charm of bookstores. They've made it pretty consistent staging across the different locations, this one is quite unique because of the shape of the site. Well done! read more

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You'll feel like Nobility in this bookstore! I remember when they closed the Walgreens and I was super worried what they would do to this gorgeous building. But B&N did the least in the best way! There is so much detail in the ceiling and walls that I'm glad they didn't do too much. Some reviews complained about the lack of a "system", but I think what is so charming about the design as you can see in this overhead shot is that its a maze. You can really get lost in the books (plus if you need something quick the employees are really nice or order online for pickup)! They have a great selection of new-in books and they are always super timely (they move current event books up to the front and rotate the displays often). Overall, I love that B&N gave life to this gorgeous building. And if you're looking for mom & pop type book stores there are plenty in this town (Myopic books is literally across the corner). read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Brand New as of October 30th. I visited a November 16th and it was super busy! The vault is now office space for B&N employees. No coffee shop inside, minimal seating and No kids stage. But! There are plenty of children's books and toys, albums, journals, an upstairs area, loads of Legos and many genres of books, books, books. The floor plan is different. No plain ole straight aisles but lots of angled aisles and nooks. It's cozy but it was hard to navigate with all the traffic in the store Saturday. It's refreshing to see a book store! Loved our visit! read more

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Definitely the most unique Barnes and Noble I've ever been to! Browsing books among beautiful architecture sounds like a dream, however my experience didn't exactly play out like that in reality. It was extremely busy during my visit, which is great to see any bookstore so popular but the maze-like layout lent itself to a certain kind of chaos. Otherwise, they had a decent selection for the location and I was able to find a few books to purchase. As others have noted, there isn't a cafe but I don't mind that - there's a ton of coffee shops you can take your book(s) to nearby. Unfortunately, no parking because of the location but that's to be expected. read more

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This is not your average B&N--it's giving elevated theater. The inside looks like an old-school movie palace, which makes browsing feel elevated. Two stories, a strong selection of books (fiction, non-fic, cookbooks--you name it), and air conditioning (god bless). A solid place to cool off, romanticize your life, and get lost in the pages books read more

If you know me, you know I love a library. Fills up at least 50% of my Instagram feed. I've been anxiously awaiting the opening of the new Barnes and Noble in the old Noel State Bank space, and it's worth the wait! Gorgeous space, if only lacking some chairs to crack open and try out a new book. I'll be back! read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was so excited to check out this B&N. I have such good childhood memories of visiting the store and getting cozy in the cafe or in a chair to decide what books I was going to buy. The new aesthetic which I'll call, "private equity sterile," has lost all of that charm. It looks like they are just trying to copy Amazon books. For starters, it's hard to navigate, there is nowhere to sit and the kids book section has lots of corners and aisles. I loved how the old stores had a kid's section that stood apart from the rest of the store. Also the kids books selection seemed tiny compared to in the past. I also hate how they put toys right next to all the books which distracts kids from the books. In the old stores the toy section was extensive but was in a separate section away from the books. I'm so sad. read more

Great service, there's lots to choose from and it's neatly organized and everything has the right pricing on it. Just went in to browse but will definitely be going back to grab some things that I didn't know they had before. read more

This location is unique because it's in a historical building and has two floors with a cool view of the downstairs once up top! However, there's no place here to really relax and read a book, which is a huge downside. Staff is friendly and they do have some cool events for book releases, etc. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I like others was very excited to learn that Barnes & Noble was coming to this space instead of yet another gym, discount dentist office, or doggie daycare. But like others I was underwhelmed by the experience. I happened to go at Christmastime so the place was rocking, which means, you couldn't hardly move through it at all. It is so cramped, and when it's crowded it is practically unnavigable. But the lack of basic B&N amenities is astonishing. No cafe; almost no seating; and did I hear someone say no bathrooms? And also non-compliant with ADA? (Although since Jan 20 that's probably more a feature than a bug.) Yeah, I know, it's a bookstore and all they are required to provide you is the opportunity to buy a book they sell to you. But B&N themselves have trained us to expect more than just that. But possibly the biggest problem, as with so many places in the area, is lack of parking. Not sure how many people will pay five bucks round trip via CTA, or the same amount to Chicago Parking Meters, LLC, just to go and ... hang out? It's hard to hang out in a crowded space with almost no place to sit. The B&N at Webster Place, while farther away, was just about the perfect space for a bookstore. I was hoping for something like that, rather than nothing like that. Maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe you like it. Good for you. Me, I'm more meh about it. read more

Having been a Walgreens before, this B&N has completely transformed the space. Reminds me of my childhood going to the bookstore and hanging out. Flipping through the pages of books and magazines. Service is friendly...sadly, Amazon is the reason bookstores and really any business comes and goes. Books are less online read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Let's just say I love Bookstores, Barnes & Noble ranks up. I heard this location was going to open in Wicker Park. I do love the outside decor. It does draw you in. Very clean location, with two floors. The setup is great easy to search what you are looking for. The selection has wide ranges for all tastes. Pricing is well balanced, depending on what you looking for. The staff is friendly and approachable. Definitely thinking of joing the yearly membership, like the staff after a few purchases it pays for itself. I am looking forward to returning. read more

Barnes & Noble - From the outside - Bookstores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Totally underwhelming store in Wicker park. Book store is housed in an old bank building and yet they didn't even utilize the beautiful vault in the basement as part of the decor. read more

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love the selection, great options and tons of fun to explore and workers are always ready to help you. line for checkout can be long but goes quickly read more

Okay this is such a cool bookstore. A friend and I took the Blue line right up to the store from downtown and we wandered around and found some great books. read more

They had every book I was looking for, and when I couldn't find one, a staff member brought it out! The prices were a little steeper than other methods of purchase but the location and the ease of access made up for it. read more

We were looking forward to this opening for months, but whatever the delay was, it wasn't to make a bookstore that utilized anything about this beautiful historic building. Unbelievably, they have blocked off the entire basement, including the vault which Walgreens previously integrated into their design. What's left here is ugly and counterintuitive design that is working against the space-- the backs of bookshelves facing out from the balcony rather than incorporating the view, no clear aisles or organization, large portions of prime floorspace are taken up with private areas that are still open air so you can see the junk inside from the escalator, &c. The store is merely an INCREDIBLY cramped series of passageways to navigate in fruitless hope of finding whatever you are looking for. I also have serious questions on how this space is ADA compliant. I couldn't even see any of the exit signs clearly because they built all the bookshelves too high... Unlike some in the neighborhood, I'm not opposed to a chain book store coming to the area, but who is this store for? Two chairs upstairs appeared to be the full breadth of its seating options. Movies comprised a single small bookcase in a corner, the magazine selection was likewise small and cramped into a space it is not suited for, and I spied the same Joan Didion book in at least four different sections in the store, so even the staff appears confused on what is going on here. Overall, the experience of shopping inside was claustrophobic and deeply unpleasant. It's kind of shocking how badly everyone involved dropped the ball on making this historic space into something of value to anyone but bored couples looking to go somewhere after brunch to walk through without buying anything. read more

Great to see something go into this space and a bookstore is a welcome addition. Pretty big compared to the new Barnes and Nobles that have been opening. read more

Substantial expenditures made, but no bathroom provided... extremely inadequate... advise against bringing children... or take a short walk to Starbucks... read more