Visited the Barnes & Noble in Olympia today with my daughter and honestly, this place is incredible. It's one of those stores where you walk in and immediately lose track of time, in the best way. I could easily spend an entire day here just wandering, browsing, and finding books I didn't even know I needed. The store is clean, well-organized, and has such a welcoming feel. The staff was genuinely friendly and helpful without being overbearing, which made the experience even better. They were happy to answer questions and made us feel comfortable taking our time. There is even coffee! It was a really nice outing with my daughter, and we'll definitely be back. This location reminded me why I love bookstores so much. As for the value, it was dependent on the book. My daughter chose a"It" by Stephen King, so the amount she paid for the length of the book made sense to me. read more

I went in looking for a present for a friend last night, knowing of a certain journal I thought that would be good for a friend. I asked a clerk, whose name was Sky, but they unfortunately didn't have the one I was thinking of. Sky had a band T-shirt on that I knew my friend liked, so I asked them for advice. They pointed me towards a graphic novel series, SAGA, that they would recommend, based on the interests I shared of my friend. They also recommended other journals when I couldn't find the original I wanted, showing me the gothic section. When a journal I picked out ended up being torn, them and a cashier searched up whether there was more in the back, going the extra mile to help me succeed in my task. They listened to my incisiveness, and didn't pressure to add more onto what I thought of. I've been coming here for my Warrior Cat books for over a decade, which they make readily available every date they come out. Even with the layout changes over the years, I always appreciate being able to come in while my family is grocery shopping next door. read more

I love a bookstore. It's so nice to see a B&N still in business. They are understaffed, but besides that, it's a great little bookstore. Tons of magazines available which is a hallmark of B&N that I have appreciated for years. There are a couple times a year I have the time to work on art and personal projects and like to just get 1 issue of a few zines without having to pay for a year subscription. There are chairs throughout the store to sit and read, too. On my most recent visit last month, there was a book I wanted that the clerk told me was no longer in print. Checked on Amazon and got it in 2 days. Come on now. There is a Starbucks inside. read more

I worked at this store way back when I still lived in Oly. Whenever my travels find me back in the area, I'll stop by and pick up a new read. Even though the layout and the products constantly change, the static fixture of this location is the passion of their booksellers. Many times I've had a great recommendation from someone who works there. I sincerely appreciate the authenticity of their recommendations too! They don't simply push the new release or whatever is on sale on you - they provide thoughtful suggestions of books that have resonated with them or they think will be that one for you. The store is always tidy and well organized. The lines move quickly. The cafe makes consistently tasty coffee drinks. A relaxing way to spend a few mins or even a few hours. read more

Big bookstore! I was looking for an annual catalog and the staff were so helpful. A woman at the front desk figured out it was in the magazine section and another took me there. It's a popular catalog so there weren't any left on the shelf but she found more in a drawer below - yay moment! Lovely bookstore to wander in and there's help if you need it. It also has a cafe and a large parking lot. read more

This is the first store I've ever been accused of shoplifting in. Never been so embarrassed in my life. The guy ran up behind me, pulled the bag out of my hand, and took it from me. I was with my elderly mother and my 4 year old niece. I literally spent $90 on books. Thank goodness my receipt was on top. He made my 4 year old niece hand him her book, only for him to drop it in the bag, and then handed me the bag back. Way to get kids into reading, jerk off. I will order off Amazon. I'll read off my kindle. I literally spend thousands on books every year and won't be giving any of my money to them ever again. I'd rather go to Walmart, the library, or target where I won't have my bag ripped out of my hand when my back is turned. Never again. He didn't even apologize. Just claimed the alarm went off, which it did not. He's a liar and was super rude. Super unprofessional.Guess you can't go to Starbucks to retrieve your elderly mother after checking out, without being searched. Literally got 5 books at $90 and got the pleasure of looking like a thief in front of a huge line of people. Over priced. read more

A real great place for newer books and novels with a great discount selection and decent manga section too! I like this place a lot and wish it was closer to home, I love it very much and hope to be back soon! Great to cozy up and even get a cookie at the Starbucks inside! Highly recommended from a customer of the last 5 years. read more

Received a Barnes & Noble gift card. Haven't been to one in decades. It's so much easier to download exact content. I was SHOCKED at the prices of items there. ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS. A single greeting card - $6.50, a little bag of chocolates - 14.00. Everything was outrageously priced. The Photoshop book I wanted was UNAVAILABLE at the store. Went online, it was $93.00! Really? Are you crazy? Went to Amazon, found EXACTLY what I was looking for, at $53.00 for the exact book I was looking for. I don't understand how Barnes & Noble remains in business. It's truly disgusting to see what they've become: a bastion of paper for the old and technologically illiterate. How sad. read more

Everyone seems to mention the lack of customer service in this store but I didn't seem to have that problem as I came a little later in the evening and it really just seemed like there was one cashier who was also shelving books nearby and there were two people at the customer service counter. Other than that I did see anyone else. I came looking for postcards, which they didn't have, and ended up browsing a bit so I didn't completely waste a trip. They have stationary and gift sets and all sorts of discount books. There is quite a selection as well although some of the books and the magazines were pretty expensive. I'm just not how and why they compete with Amazon or other online bookstores. Slowly I think interest in bookstores is dwindling with online being at everyone's finger tips. Anyway, after I was ASS-aulted visually by a man who appeared to be homeless who had basically his whole backside out in plain view, I figured that was as good a time as any to bounce. Nice store but it's not one the top of my list when looking for a specific book. read more

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Poor return policy... it's too bad because I use to like going there but I will rethink that moving forward.

Love coming here with my kids. Never had any issues, and the staff are friendly. Good book selection as well.

Large and clean bookstore. Great place to spend a few hours browsing while enjoying a hot beverage from the cafe. Also has a large selection of toys and board games. Mostly empty on weekday mornings and early afternoons which is a big plus. read more

Understaffed and poor customer service. I'm an avid book collector and try to purchase locally. The store is large and has a wide selection. However, it is difficult to find books that are in stock there. The last 3 times I visited, I struggled to locate a particular book. I have never been able to talk to someone at the CS counter - it is always empty. No one is available to help. Last time, I searched the store for an in-stock book for 20 minutes. Then I waited at the CS counter for 10 minutes. Then I walked the floor for another 10 trying to find a staff member. Finally, I waited another 10 minutes in line to ask the cashier about the location of the book (I just needed to know which section it was in). After waiting for so long, the cashier informed me that she could not help me and paged someone to the CS counter. I relayed that I have been waiting for about 40 minutes already, but was told that there is no help on the floor right now and there was nothing they could do. I left. Who has an hour to wait to get some help finding an item to purchase? I went to Orca Books and got the damn book and was checked out in 5 minutes. After so many bad experiences at B&N I'll just stick to Orca Books and Amazon and suggest you do the same. I have been a paying member but will be cancelling my membership as well. read more

I am an avid reader and have been a fan of Barnes and Noble in the past but after the last two times at the Olympia Barnes and Noble, I believe I will be taking my business elsewhere. For me, It is all about Customer Service. It is the little things that matter as a customer. With the many, many choices customers have for purchasing reading materials, I don't understand how B & N is not making customer service their first priority. Anyone can sell a book, and cheaper I might add. I can go to Amazon or Target or ebay and get books cheaper than B & N. But I go to B & N for customer service, people who will help you find books, and recommend books, and be cheerful while doing so. The last time I went in I brought my purchases to the counter and asked to have one of the books gift wrapped as it was a bday present (also a huge reason I come, they wrap it up all nice and you are good to go for a gift). I was the only one in line at the time and the lady started walking down to the end of the counter to wrap the book when someone else stepped in line. Instead of calling for another worker she told me to wait until she helped the next customer (although slightly annoyed, as I believe you should help the customer you are with before moving on to the next) I stood by. After she helped FOUR more customers I said, "Did you forget about me down here?". She said "No, I have to help the customers in line". After about 7 or 8 minutes of standing and waiting she called for some help and then came down to wrap my present. Never apologized at all. Fast forward to the next time. I came in to buy a gift/book. After purchasing the book I asked to have it wrapped. The lady wrapped it but didnt give me a bow that usually comes with it. I asked for her to put the bow on it and she said she didnt know how and handed me the bow materials (not made, you have to make it and I dont know how). I was surprised and said I would like the bow made and she said, "maybe you can find someone else in the store that knows how to do it or take it to customer service". Soooo, I walk to customer service where I stand in line AGAIN and then ask the lady to make the bow. She looked at me like incredulously, snickered, and then made the bow. The few times before these two incidents I have felt like I am a burden whenever I ask for any assistance. YES, they are a big book store and YES I love books, but I am done with the crappy customer service. I will go to ORCA books downtown or order from Amazon from now on. I was paying for customer service here and since I am no longer getting it, I will go elsewhere. Maybe if B & N concentrated on selling actual books rather than just pushing their nook tablet, they would do better business. read more

This location is well stocked and I'm always able to find what I'm looking for. The staff was kind and helpful and the lines for checkout were short. Also all the staff were wearing masks. read more

The original cashier I had with dark brown hair and glasses, was rude and short when I asked for help finding journals "probably on the other side of the shelf, did you look?" Yes obviously I did because the store was recently arranged and things weren't familiar. Then she switched places with another cashier assuming because she didn't want to ring me out when it was my turn. However, the second cashier who helped me was very pleasant. read more

This particular B&N is quite large, which I appreciate, and has extremely clean bathrooms. The sitting area near the Starbucks has a beautiful window to let the natural sunlight in (if there ever is any). I don't like being in there for too long because, for whatever reason, it's incredibly dark in there. When I open a book and try to make out the words, my eyes are instantly strained. Very strange. I've also never seen an employee walking around, so if customer service is important to you, I wouldn't recommend going in. read more

I stopped by B&N in Olympia to get some books and journals for the upcoming school year. The employees were very nice and helped me find what I needed. They also, conveniently have a coffee shop (b&n owned starbucks) just as you come into the store. Just take a left and you'll see it! They have great food and coffee, and the staff there are also great. The only bad thing was only one restroom was open, the men's. Everyone including women were using that one restroom. I know it's not their fault though. read more

This store is huge and the selection is amazing. The staff is very friendly and I love being able to grab a nice read and sit down with some coffee. Very relaxing environment. My only complaint is that some of the books I've purchased have had some wear and tear on them. Not enough to be detrimental, but please look at the books before thinking it's a new one. read more

First love! New tambayan for me! and also to read and review for my nclex test and military asvab exam!

The high level of service at the Olympia Book store has been a real blessing. The staff has helped me beyond belief and this includes nook Stop by the coffee stand and ask for a sinfully Chocolate /coco. Relax and browse the items that you have just purchased. Great store, great customer service... read more

This store is huge, and has a large selection. However, customer service is hard to come by. I was looking for a particular book and the first time I went in I walked around for over 45 mins before I found someone to ask for help, and the employee told me I needed to find someone else to help me. I left the store. I went back again the next day and was able to get the book I needed at an extremely high price. The book I bought had water damage that I didn't see until I got home. Basically they are overpriced and less than helpful. You'll have better luck on Amazon. read more

My father in law loved books. My in laws have been in the states for 2 weeks and this is our second visit to Barnes and Noble. If I knew it would be so soon I probably would have signed up for their membership but I personally don't go there a lot. I was annoyed that when we were checking out they were pushing the membership too hard despite me telling them no like 3 times. It was kind of a turn off. I think the next time my in laws visit, maybe we'll sign up. read more

This place is the darkest dingyest bookstore I"ve ever been in, half the lighters were out and the whole place was just... depressing. I would never go back. Same with my wife. read more

Anytime i come in everyone is beyond helpful and nice the coffee shop makes amazing white mochas! I love just coming in and killing some time and leaving with a few great books read more

I'm not a book store fan but I was wrangled into going to the Harry Potter midnight party last night. I was very impressed with the organization and the way they were able to entertain all those people for 4 hours. Once the books were on sale they did a really good job of selling quickly. All around good job. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Olympia, Washington

I used to love this store. But obviously management has decided that they don't need to value their people, since it is hard to find help and when you do they are clearly overworked, aren't friendly, and don't know much about, you know, BOOKS. And the store just looks shabby now. They still have a decent selection of journals, the best in town. I don't go here anymore, and I used to go several times a month. I now get all my books from Orca or Amazon. read more

The employees I encountered seemed very officious and impersonal. The cashier basically ignored my comments and questions. Back to Amazon for me. read more

Staff was very friendly and there was a large selection that seemed very organized. The bathrooms were clean and the organization of the store was nice. The only thing I didn't like was the extra display tables in the aisle seemed crowded. read more

I enjoy browsing at Barnes and Noble. I don't usually buy books from there because I like to find used books, save a little cash, and a tree or two. I do like the clearance book section and the Starbucks seating areas for relaxing and computing. read more

My granddaughter and I received Barnes and Noble gift cards for Christmas. We went into the store on New Years Day to shop. The store staff at the help desk was friendly and gave great assistance. However all those warm fuzzy feeling were destroyed when it came time to pay for our items. Our cashier's name was Cathy but she might as well have been named The Grinch. She was unfriendly, uncooperative and when I asked a question I had to repeat it twice to get her to answer. Sorry Barnes and Noble I won't be back, there are other stores in Olympia that are actually happy to have customers and Cathy made us feel like she was doing us a favor by being there. No thanks! read more

Love this store. I've spent a few hours here. Live about 40 miles from here so when I do get to spend time here it hard to leave.

I spend a lot more time at this establishment than I would like to admit and I absolutely love it. The staff are always helpful, my kids love the kids section, the store is clean (including the bathrooms), and the Starbucks baristas are both friendly and great at making coffee! read more

This is the typical large chain bookstore. There's a wifi/coffee, a central service desk, a childerens reading area, and a stationary section. It would be nice if there was a little more walking space. On a side note, bathrooms are clean, but could use an update. I appreciate the wide variety of books and magazines. There is something for everyone, and a book on almost anything one could imagine. There wasn't much staff there, but my cashier was quick and friendly. I also appreciate that she wasn't pushy about the membership card. I'm sure I'll go back to this store. read more

I recently visited this Barnes & Noble website preparatory to conducting a book signing for my latest novel: "ISIS Defeated." I found Candy, my contact, ,helpful and courteous, I was amazed to find so many negative feedbacks. Barnes and Noble deserves better. R. R. Wright Author Military Analyst read more

I stopped here today to get a Christian book and study guide that was recommended. I stood in line only to get to the counter that had a cashier that was more than rude. I had my husbands debit card because mine was canceled as the numbers were stolen on vacation last week, so i had his to use. She said for me to come back with my own debit/credit card and that it was unusable anyway because it was not signed. My husband has used it for a year with no problems ... There was no reasoning with her as she was rude and I could tell she would not even discuss it. B&N lost $70 in sales and I came home and ordered on Amazon for $35. will not go back ... read more

i don't mind the layout of the store. although my kids are definitely too distracted by the toys to enjoy the books. my complaint is with this activity they put on for the kids call the Juice and Jammies Storytime. very disappointing. they were almost a half hour late getting it going. come on- the whole event shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes. you could pick out a few really good books, get the kids and parents excited about them and very possibly have us leave with our own copies of these books. by running late, you run the risk of: having most kids leave, getting kids (who are already getting close to bed time) really antsy by having to wait which then leads to them wanting to climb the walls and tear down the shelves out of boredom, and create a really negative experience. then- the girl did a horrible job. pick out a few books that you've actually read or that you know about. instead she seemed to pick out three very random books that were exceptionally boring. she read in a monotone voice and only showed the pictures to the kids directly in front of her (there were only six kids there by the time she got around to reading the story- she could have easily taken two seconds to show everyone the pictures). even the free juice was a bit of a joke: when she first came out, she did a quick head count of the kids who were trying to sit still and wait. so she brought out the exact number of cups she thought she needed. so when she started reading and a couple other kids who were trying to pass the time by browsing rejoined the group, she got a bit snippy with them when they asked for their juice. maybe if they'd been a little more direct about the time they were going to start instead of ignoring the parents asking them if it was canceled, we could have at least known what sort of wait we were in for. humbug. read more

Went there tonight after a long day at work just to pick up a couple of calendars. Went to check out and there was one girl working at checking people out and she apparently was waiting on a customer who ordered a book she could not find and it was going to take some time to help her. I tried to get her attention to call someone to help check out, but she ignored me. I finally got her attention and she ignored me again. I then made eye contact with a guy who later said he was the manager and he ignored me. Finally another girl came out and motioned me to the checkout line, she was pretty rude and didn't bother to ask me if I was a member. I complained to the manager and he was very condescending. I won't be going back, and I will not renewing my membership. read more

A large selection for a small town. Well organzied here also....some of the B & N's are a mess but this one is easy to navigate.

I've always had excellent service at this store, but recently a young woman went above and beyond to help me find a book. A month or so earlier I had purchased a children's book that I thought was the best I had seen in awhile. I read it two or three times before I sent it off to Minneapolis. Then along came my niece's son's birthday. I thought I would pick up the same book for him, but unfortunately I had forgotten the name. The display had been changed so I was standing there looking lost when the employee came by. She did her best to help. She even went into the computer to pull up the list of books that were on that display (unfortunately it had been deleted). Since we couldn't find the book I was looking for, she took the time to help me find another book that was appropriate for a two year old. Another excellent book! I was sorry I hadn't gotten her name so I could tell the manager how much I appreciated her helpfulness. read more