Aside from one uncomfortable experience years ago that required calling security after being followed, Barnes & Noble at The Shops at La Cantera is still a decent place to stop by. I had a wonderful time there with my niece, enjoying some quality bonding time. We browsed books, picked out a few to buy, and treated ourselves to Starbucks. read more

Barnes & Noble - Caramel machiato - an extra shot of espresso - Bookstores Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

How can you not enjoy an hour at Barnes & Noble while sipping on a Caramel Macchiato on a cold, rainy afternoon? read more

Barnes & Noble - Gotta grab my Caramel Macchiato when browsing B&N - Bookstores Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

THE Barnes and Noble of San Antonio. This bookstore is absolutely amazing and goes beyond just books. Legos, American Girl Dolls, music, you name it, there's a good chance they will have that special item. They've had a few book signings from local and big name authors which are always so neat to attend, and the staff is always on top of things from assisting customers to cleanliness. The organizational layout of the store has gone through a couple of changes over the years, but each time it seems to make even more sense and is even more intuitive to navigate. This location always seems to keep up with what's popular and does a great job of keeping things that are going out of style but still current enough stocked while ushering the new trend onto the shelves; you never feel too rushed to buy what's current as it'll be there for a good while without overstaying its welcome. I'd definitely recommend making the trip to this location. Buy yourself something from the café to snack or sip on and take your time perusing two floors of literary fun. It's an experience for bookworms everywhere. read more

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Great Experience at Barnes & Noble La Cantera This location is always such a pleasure to visit. The store is clean, well-organized, and easy to browse the great value and selection, with plenty of seating areas to relax and look through books. The staff is friendly, helpful, and quick to offer recommendations or assistance. The café is a nice bonus for enjoying a coffee while reading. Overall, a great value and experience -- definitely one of my favorite stops at La Cantera. read more

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A blind date with a book was a cute idea. Employees were helpful in looking for books. They didn't have what we were looking for, so they checked other stores for us, turns out the other stores didn't have what we were looking for either. I loved that they checked without being asked. The store is large, 2 floors but the escalators are currently broken. No worries, they have an elevator. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Nice and very big Barnes and Nobel There are so many books, and other amazing things to browse at. Very clean place. The staff are great The only thing I wish they had the buy one get one 50%.. read more

The staff is extremely helpful. The escalator is never working but who really cares? There's an elevator if you need it! Always tidy and well stocked! read more

Back in the old days when I needed a book for school immediately, I would purchase all my books from Barnes & Noble. These days, I'm usually just browsing and not purchasing in store since most books can be found cheaper online (e.g. Amazon). This B&N is definitely one of the better ones I've encountered throughout my decades of browsing at B&Ns. One of my favorite parts of this location is the huge atrium that opens up to the second floor of the store. It makes the store very welcoming and inviting, enticing you to its bookshelves. There is a massive selection of books to choose from, which are sprawled out across two floors of B&N. But don't fret, all the books are efficiently organized by genre. I've noticed that the bigger the B&N, the larger the selection of board games; and this location is no exception. They also have a very large children's section, as well as games and toys for youngsters. I also enjoy looking at all the coffee table books displayed on the shelving along the far left wall (near the checkout area). If you haven't checked out this B&N located within the Shops at La Cantera, you're missing out on a great bookstore experience. read more

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Always clean, staff friendly and ready to help. The best selection! I could take a copy of every book here home with me.....and don't forget the coffee! Starbucks there has specialities you can't get at a stand alone location. The bathrooms are clean and tidy. They also have places along the aisle to sit and enjoy a book for a spells they have great exclusives and lots and lots of extra, like hobbies and collectibles for book related content. If you're a book nerd, this is Mecca lol. Thanks Barnes and staff! read more

Great to see a Barnes and Noble still open. Our daughters love to read and were always happy to get them some books. This place was super busy and was really clean. read more

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Upscale B&N for sure! It's a double-decker, so it's got an escalator to a second floor. =) When we entered there was even a book signing going on (from 1-5pm, I think) with two featured authors and many copies of their graphic novels. So cool! The store was really neat and organized, and there were a lot of roaming/stocking employees so you could ask for their help if need be. The cafe seemed to be very popular because even though there was a lot of available seating, it was mostly full on a Saturday afternoon! In particular I was pleased with the LGBT+ selections featured prominently in two locations on their own centered table for Pride Month. They had both fictional works featuring LGBT+ characters, as well as non-fiction works on LGBT+ history, important LGBT+ figures, and memoirs/coming-out advice. They also had a kiosk of rainbow-themed pride gear like journals, book bags, bookmarks, keychains, etc. It would be nice to see this kind of representation year-round, but I was glad to see the volume of it in the midst of pride, helping bring awareness to the general public/mainstream. The line for checkout was sort of long, but that's how it always is in Barnes & Noble. It's like an unspoken rule. But I appreciate how they always let me use my mom's B&N account to get her discount without any pressure to get my own. =) The employee who checked us out was very friendly (and a bit chatty, which might inform the line length, LOL, but I'd prefer waiting for a good experience than a quick crappy one, wouldn't you?). read more

Beautiful bookstore like most B&N stores. Love the atmosphere and the environment here. Great to spend an afternoon reading at a corner. read more

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Very nice place. Bought a few Steven King books like IT. There was a customer service nook in the front and they answered all my questions! They showed me where all his books would be found! Every employee was friendly! The checkout lady (forgot name), was super friendly and recommended some books! RECOMMENDATIONS: I had asked one of the customer service workers if they sold book annotation tabs, they said no? I think it would be an amazing idea if they sold them with the other goodies by checkout! It's a really fun thing and it makes reading enjoyable! I had to buy it on amazon which was sort of a nuisance because i could have bought it with my novel. Overall, great experience! Although the bookshelves are very organized, I wished the placements were more accessible. It's almost like a maze! read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I have only gone a handful of times but the employees were helpful. And patient. Even when I had stayed until closing and was waiting on an Uber to get there just in the nick of time they remained kind and professional. I had also carried a lot more than I could handle so they were patient with me on that as well. This was on 10-16-2022. So if that helps management see who was working, they were all awesome in all the areas of the store. The Starbucks employees had no problem making me a drink near closing time. I actually had said that I didn't see they were nearly closed so I had apologized and then they were happy to make the drink and grab me a dessert I ordered as well. I would definitely visit again since this is my local Barnes and noble now. read more

Barnes & Noble, Books & Coffee! Good things go together. Barnes & Noble at La Cantera is located at a great end spot with an entrance on the outside, toward the parking lot, and on the inside, toward the walking area. I like that I can get straight in from the parking lot (assuming I can find a spot!) when I'm in a hurry. B&N is a great place to pick up a quick gift, or a place to grab a coffee at their Starbucks counter and check out some books. They have every sort of book most people would be interested in, and will also order books for you. One of my favorite spots is the travel section. You can pick up CDs to learn a foreign language, or grab a Fodor's or Frommer's. It's all good. read more

Barnes & Noble - Books and Coffee -- YES! - Bookstores Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

The Barnes and Noble store at La Cantera is the bomb. Multi-level with a Starbucks. Sweet. We spent a good hour, almost two in there today. Lots to look at. Pick up the books, read the inside cover flaps, you know. Clean restrooms. Separate video and music section. Nooks and Nook accessories. I got on the Nook bandwagon at its inception. The first one was black and white only with beta internet. Oh boy. I ended up with four Nooks through the years, but last year I traitored out and bought a Kindle. Sigh. This is a very nice store. Go there. read more

NO EDUCATION DISCOUNT? They told me teacher discounts are only for K-12 and so much for higher education? Oh and they (someone over there) lied about having a book in stock. read more

This is my favorite Barnes and Noble in San Antonio. I love to come here to see and peruse the books before I buy them on Amazon. The chairs in the cafe and around the store allow for easy and on the spot shopping on the Amazon app. read more

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Cafe plain rude most of the time that I come here. Everyone has a mean face and acts unusual when you need help. Customer service is bad. My drink (that I get every time) tasted worse then ever and they couldn't do anything about. I've always had trouble here with not being a addressed in a kind uplifting manner. Usually when it's a real Starbucks or just a good cafe, the customer service is outstanding. So this is just disappointing. I'm such a coffee shop person and typically coffee shops have such an uplifting mood. Never fails to disappoint here. By the way no smiles from most of the common employees I see here. However, the bookstore is awesome. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I have grown to love this Barnes and nobles location more and more each year. I like how the layout of the stores allow for not one area ever getting congested especially during COVID. The workers here are very excellent. I remember a time I was having problems remembering a book title and they helped it because I described it and the worker knew what I was talking about. They have very nice and patient workers. read more

I went to the Starbucks inside this location and ordered a Hot Carmel Macchiato drink. When I was about to take a sip I noticed a faint odor coming from the cup. So I took the top off and noticed a sewage smell coming from the cup. That is when I took it back so that they could remake my drink. I get the new drink back and the smell was even stronger. My wife smelled it and she had the same reaction. I returned it and got my money back. They should probably clean their expresso machine out. read more

Don't expect to use your Starbucks card here. They refused to take it at this location inside of B&N - gave the excuse "they're run by the bookstore", we only sell Starbucks products here. Makes zero sense! All the products are Starbucks, so it's a Starbucks. Last time I buy anything here. I guess next time we'll know better & go to a "real" Starbucks What a joke! read more

Barnes & Noble - Apparently it's Not Starbucks according to the employee‍ - Bookstores Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I usually love Barnes & Nobles. Honestly, my parents used to take me to one every single week as a kid, and I always received B&N gift cards for my birthdays over the years. However, as a patron of this location, I did find the service a bit amiss here. I was applying for a specific card, and the service person actually let several others purchasing items ahead of me before acknowledging the paperwork I was asked to complete. I can understand 1 individual if they are waiting impatiently behind me, but this employee let in 3-4 others before she even got to me. I just awkwardly stood there watching her ring others up when I had the completed paperwork right in front of the counter. The facilities seem clean and well maintained, to be expected given the La Cantera area. Unfortunately, the service seems to be a trend in this mall; many employees treat patrons a bit differently than the normal high standards elsewhere. read more

Oh how I love Barnes & Noble. Particularly this location. What's there not to enjoy?! This is one of the larger locations. They have a great selection. As you can see I take pleasure in reading books from the personal growth section. I still collect my books so whenever I'm done reading them I can share the knowledge with friends and family. My family and I can spend hours here, grab a snack at Starbucks and spend the afternoon reading. It's a very nice place to spend time. read more

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I come here often, and came today with my son for an event in the kids area. The employees are super friendly and helpful. Anytime I'm looking for a book, they walk me to it. The book selection is fantastic, and if they don't have something in stock, they can order it for you. Barnes and Noble has long been my favorite bookstores, and this location is one of the best. The only drawback is La Cantera parking on a weekend. read more

Have not been to this location in years and won't go back!! No salesperson on the 2nd floor to ask about times...when we checked out I commented to our cashier there wasn't anyone to ask a question, he replied they are just too busy!! So I asked him said question, he just replied he didn't know. Customer service is a thing of the past!! read more

I really really had to go #2, Toilets work great and restroom is super clean. Would poop here again if needed. Good luck fellas.

Unfortunately this single star is for the customer service team that was working Dec 30. I was asking for some help with a scavenger hunt and they interrupted me very rudely and just simply said "we don't have time, we are much too busy to play games during this time of year." (Mind you this is after Christmas so not sure why they feel so busy, maybe they shouldn't be in customer service if they can't handle serving customers) They continued to say "we wish to not deal with any scavenger hunts." As I'm sure this isn't a corporate rule but a local management rule, Barnes and nobles is missing out on a great opportunity here. read more

Definitely not the best B&N in town. The La Cantera traffic is a huge part of why I dislike coming to this particular B&N. I agree with John H that if you're just need B&N and no other particular store, DO NOT go here.. you'll have a headache just trying to find a parking spot. The store is petty unique in that it is a two story B&N, I haven't been to another like that here in SA. Service is usually pretty friendly. Beware, there are two exits, so it can get really easy to get confused when you're exiting. One is to the outside where the parking lot is and the other is to enter the rest of the shopping area (you wouldn't think it could be confusing - but it is)! read more

I went there to get a new note book as I prefer to write notes into a real paper notebook vs on my phone or computer. They had a nice selection of said books and I got a quite nice one. This was the reason I was there, the parking is a different situation, and I parked far away and while I don't care about walking, they should have more sidewalks so people actually can walk there when they park a little further away. read more

I wish I could give them 0 stars. For the 4th time, I got a cake and as always it was very old like a piece of plastic. I asked them to change it, and they gave me another plastic cake. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

These folks are really helpful, and I mean whatever location in whichever city you go to, someone is always readily available to assist you. If the item you're looking for is not in-store, they'll get it for you quickly, and call you when it's ready for pick up. Great customer service. I asked for a specific book in both English and Spanish, no problem, in 2 days I had my books. Now, this place is well stocked, especially the latest books and magazines, so you should be able to find what you're looking for. I really like perusing their bargain books section, I have found some real gems there, in fact one of my favorite books that I've read twice came from a 75% off table - what a deal. I've been to several locations in various cities and states and their commitment to customer service is unwavering. Join the club and start reading. read more

A large and cool refuge between crowded and hot shopping. Parking nor location makes this my first choice for a bookstore, yet it is perfect when I am already in the area. Love stopping in here for a book for the kiddo, they have a very cute section just for the little ones. Recently stopped in for a title I had heard on our local TPR station. The gentleman behind the counter was so helpful even though I had slightly messed up the title. He took the escalator to the top floor and showed me to the elevator as I had the stroller and kiddo. I got up quickly yet by the time I met him he already handed over the title. Talk about service. I still feel very 1999 when walking in to a B&N, yet so happy when walking out with a book. read more

GREAT location! Good atmosphere with people just hanging out and reading. The Starbucks here is AWESOME with an amazing selection of delectables you can't get at other locations including Cheesecake Factory. They belong to B&N so the rewards lie with them. Overall, it's a great place to spend an afternoon sipping coffee and reading. read more

Come to this location if, and only if, you: (1) Don't mind parking a far way away (2) Don't mind a crowded store (3) Don't mind seriously rude staff (4) Have no intention of bringing in snacks or drinks from outside (this location is located in huge outdoor mall, odds are you will have something like this) (5) don't mind sitting at ONE tiny table, as you are not permitted to bring little tables together. Seriously, I've never had such problems with other Barnes & Nobles. But what will keep me from ever going back was the (I presume) manager coming up to my mom and I to tell us the leftovers we carried in from the mall was not permitted (even though we were seated in cafe) because we could order from starbucks. He did this even though we had 2 venti cups of coffee and 2 venti teas from his cafe between the two of us! -- If you're THAT anal about people bringing in outside food/leftovers, you probably shouldn't be located in a MALL. Secondly, was on a separate day when my mom and I, wanting a little more space for our items than the tiny, near-useless tables offered, attempted to move 2 of them together. We were quickly told that wasn't permitted, and the (I presume) manager took one of the tables right out of my hands and back where it was. And then rudely stated the tables "had to be a certain distance away from each other." --- I have never heard of such a rule at ANY Barnes & Noble ever before. --- His rudeness cost him a $500 sale. Before even going to the cafe I had selected a Level 1-5 rosetta stone package to purchase before I left. I was more than happy to leave it, unpurchased, on the table he took out of my hands. I instead went to the Barnes & Nobles at 281 and 1604 where a nice lady was more than happy to ring up my $570 purchase. read more

Love the size of this location with so much to choose from . The atmosphere is quiet and inviting with a great coffee shop inside . A great place to hang out in if you are not a shopper but need a place to hang out while members of your other party do shop. read more

I love books but this honestly isn't my favorite B&N location for several reasons. I've gone in here a handful of times being as its close to work and sometimes I get the urge to pick up a new book. This location looks huge from the outside since its two stories but somehow I feel like the layout isn't very space efficient. Maybe its just me but I see too much wasted space Did I mention the parking? No? Well, the parking situation can be abysmal. Being as this location is part of the La Cantera mall, parking can be hard to come by if you just want to shop B&N. Also, I have yet to actually find any of the books I went in there to purchase. I have left with an impulse buy but I'm disappointed in the selection overall. Once, I checked online to see if a book was available in store. the website said they had two copies in stock but when I got there, there were none to be found. The staff wasn't the greatest at being knowledgeable about their inventory either. The Starbucks cafe downstairs is nice and the exterior looks gorgeous but my favorite location is still the one on 410 near North Star mall. Better staff, greater selection, and I have yet to leave feeling unsatisfied. read more

I went in the Friday before Christmas. What was I thinking? Thought it would be a total zoo. Sure it was busy but short check out lines and free gift wrappping. Parking a la Cantera but that's a given with the location and time of year. I went in to pick up a nook, thinking I'd be pushed to pick the Nook tablet and all the accessories. Uh, nope not the case. The salesman and I discussed the difference between the tablet and the color. He suggested the color when i explained it was for my dad who is not a techno nerd at all. When I said I'd take one, he said they were all behind the counter at check out. I couldn't believe the ease of purchasing. read more

Went and the place was packed full but everything still seemed very neat and well organized which surprised me especially being so close to Christmas. The staff was very helpful when we had a few questions for them. If you are looking for a good Barnes and Noble that is big with lots of options I would say this is a good place to go. read more

Tried this out while visiting San Antonio. 1. Parking took a while - the mall has plenty of lots; but they're largely empty and roped off for valet use. 2. This is a big, 2-story store - but the fiction section upstairs is ridiculously tiny! They do have a huge homeschool section, next to a huge Christian inspirational section, next to a huge self-help section, but since I like my public school and my religion, and I don't need advice on how to be a better me, I passed those by. 3. On their front-and-center table display of 'Noteworthy Paperbacks' they did have a lovely copy of Mein Kampf, by Hitler. Ahhh, Texas. read more