Quality/Quantity - I sure miss this brand! Nice to still see physical book stores. On my few days off, back in the day, I used to spend it here reading (and shopping) in the City of Alameda. Way better than being in a library. I think you still have a location that I used to frequent in Cupertino, CA...? Anyway, this location is as large but "darker." My wife & daughter spent some time here reading and shopping today. Ambiance - A decent size location. A similar size compared to my Alameda and Cupertino locations. Clean and organized. Restrooms, you need a code; I did not use it. Service - Self service today. Price - Above average, but worth it for a physical atmosphere and service. We like to support. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1886 when you started as Arthur Hinds & Company. I'm impressed that you have approximately 700 locations still! read more

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If there's one place that always feels like my happy place, it's a bookstore, and this Barnes & Noble definitely delivers. With two stories filled with books, there's something for every reader. The staff is friendly and proactive, walking around to see if anyone needs assistance, which makes browsing even more enjoyable. The children's section is wonderful, and they offer a great variety of events for both families and adults. I also love the staff recommendation displays--they've introduced me to some fantastic reads. Overall, it's a welcoming, well-stocked bookstore that's always worth a visit. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Fine selection of domestic and international literature in the middle downtown. I love talking to other like minded individuals who enlighten themselves in the work of our TRUE patriots. Enjoy an ice cream or coffee from across the street and read! I read all entirety of Harry Potter in one day and the employees didn't even care. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Very large open and airy bookstore. Was in line across the street for Pliny season and decided to pop in for a quick look. Love the building itself. Its full of character and large celestial windows that let in lots of light. As the sun was setting light came in from the one side just beautifully. Bright and warm feeling. The bottom floor has these super tall ceilings. There are some comfortable wooden chairs scattered throughout that is just asking you to take a seat and take one of the countless books or magazines for a test drive. There is a fun children's section and some toys and magazines. That is mostly my speed. There is more serious stuff upstairs - business books and adult stuff. There are bathrooms in the back along with a staircase. The floors of the first floor were super solid. Must have been out of concrete. The floors on the second story were also sturdy - but the stairs had this hollow cheap feeling. I didn't like the sound my feet made as I climbed them. THe little "view" from upstairs was great. You could get an overview of the whole place. The ceilings upstairs were low but I liked the spacing of books and how nothing was too crowded. Lots of wide walkways and no super tall bookstacks that can cause an uncomfortable feeling. If your in the area I would pop in here. Book stores are becoming so rare these days. If you can support them I would. read more

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This was my 1st time at this particular Barnes & Noble, and I loved the old fashioned feel of this building and the amazing staircase! They also had an adorable Children's Section! I'd loved to spend the afternoon here reading books and getting snacks at their Starbucks! Hee. read more

Barnes & Noble - Love this look! Hee - Bookstores Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

The manager was so very knowledgeable about the history of the building, a former department store, and the history of Santa Rosa. The landing near the staircase features pictures of the downtown and it's surroundings from decades before. Checkout the original glass windows on the second floor. read more

Came here with my sister in law for the free kids lego event. We built legos and got to keep them for free. I really like the free parking for customers in the back, especially since downtown can get crowded. When I walked inside, it smelt like fresh books, a smell you don't get to experience often now days. They have a good variety of books. I couldn't find the book I wanted but theu did sell it online. I did find other art books for the wife though. My niece wanted to buy a black pink funko but they didn't have her fav singer read more

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Today I waited in a super long line at B&N. They had one cashier working. While I was in line I saw numerous other employees go behind the counter but not to open another register. They also did not have a bag that fit my items, and tried to upsell me on a tote that would also not fit my items. They do not offer gift wrap (like the much more awesome Copperfield's). None of these things are so bad - but it feels like they could do better. If big corporate bookstores will survive they need to offer better service. This is a large store with a lot of inventory. I will go back to shop, but am not looking forward to it. read more

This B&N is housed in an old theater, and the exterior signage is perfectly integrated art deco style with the rest of the building. The interior has very high ceilings, and a balcony area. But that's it. There's nothing special about the selection. I appreciated the children's area, with a platform a child can sit on and read, with shelving preventing child entry or egress except for one place easily observed. No coffee bar, but there are plenty of nearby options anyway. I remember other bookstores in special spaces, like Borders in Rittenhouse Square, or University Ave in Palo Alto, that filled the space with extra book content, making those places destinations. This place could be that. read more

Barnes & Noble - From the balcony - Bookstores Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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I love the manga Selection I all way check if that books were bets or something like that I love Yona of the dawn especially I just love there manga section read more

I usually shop at Copperfields because they're a small business and I want to always give them my book buying business, but I will say that the Santa Rosa Barnes & Noble is a great one-stop place to buy gifts around the holidays and birthdays. Of course they have a ton of books and lots of rotating displays showing off new and interesting releases. But they also have pretty much everything else. A huge selection of Lego Sets with lots of the Lego limited release sets you can't find at other local places. The children and middle-readers section is giant and sectioned off with a stage and toys to play with. There's a giant two aisle Japanese Manga section my middle school kids love. There is an impressive and huge board game section. They've got toys and cards and bathrooms too. They have bathrooms you can use if you're downtown and have to go! read more

2/26/23 Last year, I went digital. Except for about 20 books I couldn't bear to part with, I gave away my library and am committed to getting most, if not all, of my future purchases online to get out of house clutter. I highly recommend coming here, though, because there are tons of board games, activity books, and beautiful coffee table books (many on sale!) to get and gift to friends adding a personal touch to your connections. I walked away with a creative writers notebook to help me understand my own style as amateur writer and get more specific (was only $10). read more

Nothing lifts the spirit more than being whisked away to another place & time. Good deals on books. Super chill and lots of good stuff. Came away with a couple books and didn't pay too much. Super clean, distance enforced and hand sanitizer available. read more

I called Barnes & Noble, they checked to make sure the book was there and confirmed with me that they will put it behind the desk by the cash registers, and I picked up it all went super smooth, and I appreciate their help. This was after I called two other bookstores for this title, and they did not have one thank you, Barnes & Noble. read more

Another Big Box store. Big staple for downtown Santa Rosa. I generally do not have a specific item in mind when going in. I more or less start in the discounted books section to see if anything catches my eye. Kids have been loving the "Who is? What Is? Where is?" Books about various people, places and events in our history. They have a great selection in the children's area. Just wish it was a little better lighting in that one spot. Have scored awesome books in the discount bins. Their very small selection of Vinyl records could use a little expansion of other than what is insanely popular right now. And maybe something more permanent instead of cardboard stands. I know they are not a record store but Vinyl seems to be making a come back lately. It is nice that they have a Starbucks in the building and you can get a coffee explore a new book possibility or two and relax. It's never been super noisy when I've been there. I have even come across people who have fallen asleep in the chairs that are scattered through out the place. At least one employee will ask if I am searching for something of a certain interest. So they ask and they don't hover which is nice. read more

Double-check to make sure you're getting charged the correct amount. The cashier I dealt with today, Jada S., doesn't know basic math. I'm a B&N member, which means you get 10% off the price of a book, even when it's on sale. She insisted that she charged me the right amount even though the math did not add up. It was a little alarming that she couldn't figure out simple subtraction. She said, "I can't figure that out off the top of my head." Wow. So I told her the correct price, but she wouldn't honor it. I could tell she didn't believe me -- I almost whipped out the calculator on my phone to prove it to her. She got frustrated and said, "Well, do you want me to call a manager?" I replied, "Yes. Please do." The manager came and charged me the right amount. Thank you, manager dude! Unfortunately, Jada was sullen and non-apologetic. That attitude should serve her well in life. I almost felt sorry for her. So, minus 2 stars because of Jada, not just because she may need to retake 1st grade math, but for her lack of professionalism. Plus 1 star for the manager, who actually helped me. Plus 1 star for the employee I talked to on the phone before I came to the store -- she found the book for me and put it on hold. And plus 1 star for having the book in stock -- it's nice to get it immediately instead of waiting for it to get shipped to me. I hope B&N survives. A lot of it will depend on its level of customer service. read more

Love the selection. Fantastic to me that we still have a standing bookstore. Borders is gone, Barnes and Noble shall remain!

I love bookstores and they have a wonderful selection. I highly recommend this one in particular, they have a wonderful staff and have had no issues with them. I've stayed over an hour here before just looking at all the books that just caught my attention. Their toys section is also one of my favorites. And lastly, the unfortunate part of when I was last here someone was stealing a purse full of items. It's unfortunate the employees have to deal with things like that. read more

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Are used to love going to bookstores. It started when I was a young child. My family along with my grandmother would go to dinner, and then afterwords we would go to the bookstore that was close to where we ate. We were lucky enough to have a Tower books. I used to walk the isles in amazement of all the things that were in there. So many different subjects everything you wanted. It was nice to grab a book sit down in one of the chairs and Peru's the book. It is hard to find a good bookstore anymore. Walking into Barnes & Noble in downtown. Santa Rosa was such a disappointment. The employees were not helpful at all. They almost seem passive aggressive in their approach to dealing with questions not only to myself but to other customers. read more

Just really lacking in book selection. The staff was helpful. A bunch of copies of the book spare.

It appears this Barnes & Noble is located in a former theater. It is therefore spacious. Sections are clearly labeled and more or less easy to find. There is currently an entire Star Wars section, as well as small sections for specific fandoms, including Pusheen and Lazy Egg. The bathrooms are this bookstore are clean and located in the back of the store. There was also a sale section located just outside of the bathrooms. During our visit to this bookstore, an employee checked in to make sure we were ok, which I appreciated. There is a Starbucks connected to this Barnes & Noble and if you're not into that, there's a Peet's Coffee across the street. read more

I just had the worst book buying experience ever. This dark skin lady with dark hair in a messy bun behind the counter probably between 22-25 years old spoke to me so unprofessionally it baffled me. Im 23 years old and have so many years of hospitality snd sales experience and one should never be talked to the way I just was. I was standing as next in line but not even at the register just waiting. This girl was pacing back and forth doing nothing but proceeds to speak to me first saying "Im actually in the middle of a transaction right now so your going to HAVE to wait. I literally didnt even say a single word to the girl... AND she was standing doing Fucking nothing! She proceeds to answer questions for two other customer right in front of my face which was fine. but then finally when the other lady was available to check me out I decided to speak for the FIRST time to this lady and I said " the next time you need to tell a customer to wait you should probably say something like 'itll just be a moment so sorry or do you mind waiting im actually finishing up a transaction'" As soon as I gave a very polite piece of advice for this girl who looks my age but acts like a child, she starts YELLING AT ME. Im literally the CUSTOMER. telling me im rude and all this shit. I talked to the manager who identifies as " they/them " and they seemed to not take it serious at all. Its just sad this generation of people. This is why people have social anxiety. you never know whos going to treat you unkind when you go out in public even if you are a customer. I didnt get that girls name but I did tell the manager on duty about her. She should in no way be the face of a business checking customers out with this level of disrespect. Absolutely disgusting. read more

Normally I would give 4-5 stars as I am a frequent customer. However, today I experienced a "Finite thinking" manager, Neal. I had a return that I had to make and unfortunately, I lost the receipt and packaging. I have been in retail and fully understand without at least all packaging a return cannot exist. With this in mind, I tried to reason with Neal, but, he was stubborn and wouldn't help without Any packaging. He refused to think outside of the box, by asking me to find another similar pen on the floor and go from there. I replied fully understanding retail, I also stated his attitude could've been better. I found a similar pen and the lady asked for a certain code from Neal, but again he refused. My boyfriend happened to show up and bought me a new pen again. It wasn't worth the trouble , but he also mentioned that the manager , Neal, was ONLY THINKING ABOUT HIS POSITION and the bottom line. Not about a customer returning and having frequenter this location. Neal just saw this as another complaint trying to get away with a return. Infinite thinking thinks about the whole picture; offers solutions. Finite thinking only thinks about themselves and the bottom line. If Neal keeps this up, he won't be promoted. He's reached his ceiling. Not only that, his employees are suffering; which means eventually-- turnover. I hope this is looked into. I would like to come back and not have Any issues. read more

Fantastic Barnes & Noble. Co-located with an actual Starbucks. Books are well presented, and it's easy to find the new stuff. Parking is relatively convenient on a Sunday afternoon. read more

I hate to be approached by any service person. Now with the mask mandate back it is even worse. I was harassed by the staff tonight. I have a medical reason for not wearing the mask. I am fully vaxxed. Approached once fine...beyond that RUDE. I know I am now going to save a bunch of money by not shopping there again. They need DEI training to realize not everyone CAN comply. I know the average sales associate isn't very worldly but I was appalled by this lack of empathy. read more

My favorite Barnes & Noble. Ive spent hours there studying. Ive gone there just be alone and relax with a nice cup of coffee, a little pastry and read. I was in Santa Rosa just last week at the B & N there it made me realize that everywhere I go, I compare their B & N's with mine and Oceanside's always looks & feels better. The one in Santa Rosa was all locked up. They did not encourage anyone to sit and read. Apparently there was a lot of theft. The other ones around us where Ive visited just don't have a sitting areas that are as comfortable. read more

Once upon a time, this beautiful building housed the most famous Santa Rosa, family owned, department store, Rosenbergs. Everybody shop there and now everybody looking for Great books, bargains and bestsellers goes to Barnes and Noble. Good service, too. read more

I hope this bookstore stays around for awhile. It's a nice space to take your time, browse, and get a book that feels right.

I feel a little bit bad about this but we totally used this Barnes & Noble for their bathrooms and the Starbucks. We were waiting in line for the Pliny the Younger release and this B&N was conveniently located across the street. The store is large and in a very cool building. The bathrooms are outdated with those hand dryers that are super loud but don't actually work. You can enter the Starbucks without ever going into the B&N but why would you avoid the opportunity to peruse books, magazines, etc? read more

I'm kind of surprised that this location has such bad reviews. This is a charming Barnes and Noble. We ran into it during our great bay area adventure. Stepping into this particular location is like a 1920's time warp. Everything from the decor, the layout, the ceiling, the lighting, and the sentinel like door greeter. I was a little taken aback. It's a two story B&N with a cafe located in the back. It closes earlier than most locations and we snuck in 30 minutes before closing to browse the shelves. The selection was great and the staff was friendly. It's also located downtown which I love. What's not to love? read more

Barnes&Noble used to be one of the highlights of trips to Santa Rosa. I'd drop in, browse the books, maybe get some Starbucks to fuel the drive back home- a relaxing place. However, I usually preferred Borders because of their books&music selection, as well as their superior service. It's surprising how Barnes&Noble has managed to survive as a brick&mortar store. Service has gone downhill over the year, and some of their sections (like religion/philosophy) are shockingly limited. As for the Starbucks- it's a typical Starbucks. Parking can be a dicey situation, especially with their own lot. The service isn't especially friendly. There's plenty to see in downtown Santa Rosa, but this can be skipped. read more

Super old fashion BnN. I think it didn't have as much of a selection as other BnN, but it did have a fairly big bargin section. The cookbook section on the other hand was questionable. I think it has a lot of good fiction or that sort of type of book. Not much in stationery either, and the starbucks is quite small. It's BnN, it is what it is. read more

I love this Barnes & Noble so much I worked here! This is such a wonderful jewel downtown. I love to browse the stacks and find a chair to read in. My son enjoys playing with the train in the kids section and we never feel rushed or hurried. Staff is always kind and courteous and I have good luck finding what I'm looking for. Sadly, since I worked here circa 2002 I have seen the slow erosion of the books for games, school supplies, and niche toys but I understand that staying alive in today's book market makes this necessary. They do have new, earlier hours so make sure that you stop in first on your trip downtown! read more

The last unicorn! This place is awesome! It's so nice to be back in large physical bookstores with music and toys, large selection of magazines too. Staff greeted me right away and asked if they could help me find anything. It's a gem, until you realize the prices. They have to pay for staff and the brick and mortar location though so it makes sense, just hard to stomach when you've been online for so long. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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This place has changed from what I remember it as kid. My sister, sister in law and myself came in here the weekend before Christmas (yes, it was a madhouse) in hopes to find a specific book that my SIL was needing for her niece- we were in no such luck as the book title led us to the Christian section instead of the fantasy section. We opted to get another book that realm as we didn't want to trouble some of the staff to ask again. The registers however, were fully staffed and really quick for being the holiday season and they offered gift wrapping near the front door. read more

They have a HUGE sale section to browse through, a pretty decent card stock selection and some journals that are worth a gander. Overall it is a decent bookstore but certainly not the best in our area. They do special orders which is cool and offer great discounts on those orders if you have the items shipped, always a plus when a deal is involved. read more

When you buy items on clearance, just make sure that they intend to keep them because all sales are final. Not even store credit with the receipt. read more

The store might close at 8pm on Friday, but beware the restrooms close prior to 6pm for customers. Also during our January visit the store was uncomfortably cold. Not the typical environment of a bookstore where you take your time and linger through the aisles. If it wasn't for the Barnes & Noble selection I'm not sure why you would frequent this location. read more

Barnes and Noble located is in the old Rosenbergs Department Store building. This makes it a charming environment to buy books. They have extensive travel and cooking sections. however, their art books selection is bleak. The one thing that is a little bit annoying is the sale books... they are hard to go through because of how tightly stacked they are on little tables. Overall, i can always find enough books to go over my budget! read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

What gives? On a regular basis I've walked down 4th street and I've seen the same homeless person, sleeping in a chair inside the bookstore. This has kept me from coming inside. Not necessarily because he's homeless, but I've noticed his scalp all scales and disgusting. Not only should he be asked to leave, but the chair should then be steam cleaned. This location has a Starbucks inside that SERVES FOOD!! Get your act together and clean up this mess. Until I see him gone for a seven day consecutive period will I even consider stepping foot inside this store. It's your business, you get to decide how it's presented to the public. read more