The service at this location is stellar. Everyone is exceedingly helpful. I called to reserve a book (for Father's Day) and the line moved quickly. The displays were well done and included all the current titles and best sellers, prompting me to purchase a book I hadn't intended. My uncle appreciated and enjoyed it! read more

Browsed around before a dinner reservation. Pretty clean and spacious with a nice variety of fun and unique games (pictured below)! read more

See all

The selection of this place is one of the best around the west Hartford area as there really isn't another bookstore with this good of a selection or manga around Hartford. Maybe the library next door but I really don't know about that. Service really depends on who you end up getting that day most of the time the staff is really nice other times they seem to be in some kind of mood. But the one issue that keeps me from ever giving this a higher review is the bathroom is so god awful that it's concerning, do you ever wash it? Do you ever clean any part of it? I mean I had to be harsh but come on man. This is the type of mess you expect from a gas station not a high end bookstore in the middle of blue black. Lquids all over the floor in the men's rest room, stalls maybe someone damaged half the time, the layout of Fausts completely werid, one on the side? And another straight?. Please please fix the bathroom and actually clean it you have every right to be a good store just fix the bathroom for peat sake it's been months since I told y'all read more

See all

This store was well organized and had some great book options! It was quite large and I could have spent hours looking through the shelves. The staff was extremely helpful and walked around to inquire guests if they needed help finding anything they were looking for. Although, everything was labeled well so I was able to find the two books I was looking for - Ugly Love and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - fairly quickly. There was also a Starbucks cafe inside, so you could really spend some time in there. They allow you to sit and read your recently purchased books if you choose. It was quiet in there so I could see individuals having a productive reading space. read more

Great place for book and magazine browsing. Friendly staff. Good card selection and prices are competitive.

Hello, tonight me and my friend came into the store and the lady immediately kicked us out. Didn't even have a probable cause of our behavior. The manager was yelling at us, and said we trashed an isle. We did nothing. We were looking for books. Don't go here, horrible experience. Do not recommend. Try staying away from this store. read more

VERY Uncomfortable Encounter With Employee Joe. 7pm 1/1/24 at West Hartford Location My partner and I were sitting on a love seat reading a book together when we were abruptly told from behind, "that seat is not meant to hold both of you like that. You can move to the chairs by the cafe if you want to sit together." We both said ok no problem and started to gather our belongings, but noticed Joe continuing to stand there, staring. I stated, "we will relocate, that's no problem, but please don't stand there staring. you're making me very uncomfortable." Joe just continued to stand there.....hand on hip, staring. I found this to be incredibly and increasingly uncomfortable. I asked, "are you ok?" and he just continued to just stand there, staring, mute, as if we were in a stand off? It was very strange. The chair was perfectly capable of holding both of us, we were sitting quietly reading a book, and he walked past several times before this without saying anything. We had no problem moving regardless, but considering we are adults, why was the behavior from Joe following his request necessary? I expressed he was making me feel uncomfortable (because genuinely it was), and his response was to stand there and continue to stare mutely watching us gather our belongings? After feeling increasingly uncomfortable, I asked Joe if he could direct me to another employee on the floor, and he stated "there's someone right there," and pointed to the barista behind the cafe counter. I asked Joe to, "please direct me to someone who's working on the floor and not someone behind the cafe counter. I'd like to ask about contact information." He said, "as i said there's someone over there." I asked him to walk me over to the employee since I saw no one else in the direction he was pointing. He then walked to the cafe and said there she is... to the barista behind the counter. At this point I thought I was on a hidden camera show. I asked him specifically for an employee on the floor and not the employee in the cafe. I went on my phone to see if there was any contact information on the Barnes & Nobel website to contact a hire-up to discuss this increasingly uncomfortable and juvenile situation. Joe abruptly states, "What? do you want to take my picture?!" ....... my partner and I both chuckled. Looking at Joe with concern, my partner asked Joe, "If you feel you did nothing wrong in your interaction with us, why are you responding this way?" He then stated that there is someone at the register and my partner and I walked over to the employee at the desk. I asked the employee at the register for contact information for someone I could discuss a concern to, and Joe appeared at the register. I asked Joe to give me contact information, such as an email, to someone I can discuss this strange encounter with. He gave me an email that ended up bouncing back, I said thank you, and he sarcastically laughed and said "Yup. No problem." All-in-all I hope this behavior can be addressed so no one else (especially the younger population who may be intimated by this) has to encounter this unnecessary, and to speak plainly, immature behavior. This store is far too beautiful to be endorsing this type of behavior. read more

Love this place,always clean with great book selection .Lots of gift choices,great atmosphere.I wish they hired more people.

Whoa...very harsh reviews on this place. It was clean and we loved cooling off in here for a while Hope it lasts as many B&N's seem to be going out :( read more

Large, clean, quiet, open late, can't complain. However in the men's room they have a sink that... I have questions. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

I've been coming the past few weeks to sit and be on my iPad and just have some me time after work. Today all the chairs were taken and I didn't really want to sit in the cafe area because the chairs aren't the most comfortable. I went and sat in the romance section and was minding my own business when Joe walks around the isle im sitting in a few times I look up and he says I can't sit in the isle because of someone wants to get to a book I'm there? I'd been sitting there for over an hour and 3 other employees passed by and said absolutely nothing. Then I was finishing up what I was doing and he stands there and watches me. He said very rudely I needed to move and I told him to calm down and he continued to stand and watch me, very creepy like. I won't be back. Creepy and just rude and he smelled like he hadn't showered either which is gross. read more

I hate being harassed at the check out with requests to join credit cards and various other upsell attempts. I told the cashier no several times and then she had attitude with me. This is why I mostly use amazon. Epic fail of customer service B&N. read more

Lots of books I have an ambivalent attitude about Barnes & Noble. One the one hand I hate that they were instrumental in putting a lot of small bookstores out of business but I do have to admit I love the convenience and I do frequent them. This B&N is in Blue Back Square and is virtually brand new. I have to admit that this store is absolutely great. It is probably one, if not the best B&N I have ever been in. It's huge with a great selection of books and the little cafe for coffee. Lots of bargain books in the front as well as games, puzzles, and a fantastic kid's section. It also has a huge inventory of history and science books, graphic novels and a some excellent books on regional history and information, which I love to see in a book store. To make it even better, the people that work there really seem knowledgeable and interested in books. When I was looking for an astronomy book one of the employees came over and was very polite and helpful and we even got into a discussion about the subject. Then when I went to check out the young lady at the register also started talking about one of the books I bought. A nice personal touch for a large impersonal book store. This is a great place to buy a book or magazine or just look around. I can't really find any fault in the store and I love going here. But somewhere in the back of my mind, I still hate, loathe and despise the fact that B&N was a huge factor in the extinction of small, local bookstores. I guess this is an example of progress, and as great and convenient as it may be, it still sucks. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

See all

Strange being in a bookstore again. Has all the things you expect in B&N. Shelves a bit emptier than in years past but still good selections and allowed to peruse without being harassed. Staff was sparse but not absent. read more

This is definitely one of my favorite Barnes & Noble locations around. The employees are all nice and know what they're doing and where things are. They will happily help you find something or fix a possible mistake they've made. Very accommodating and quirky employees who are just as much excited about books as us book nerds They have a baby station in the women's bathroom for nursing and changing for all you moms. The bathroom is located at the back of the store, all the way on the right side, by the science fiction section. They have an extremely large science fiction and business section, as well as many other genres to choose from. Pretty sure there's also movies, music, and cds available; a little past the customer service counter to the left. For students, they have SparkNotes and SparkCharts which are basically answer keys to all your problems; GET THEM. (SparkCharts are little charts on different subjects that give you a general guide to that topic. I highly recommend them and they are about $5 if I'm correct.) They're the only reason I passed Algebra. They also have plenty of books on school subjects located all around the store. If you need test books for SATs, ACTs, and other courses, head past the Music, DVDs, and Audiobooks section and look to your left. They should be there by the Libros en Español if the staff does not move it's location. They have a Starbucks in the store which has plenty of food, drinks, and baked goods available. Often they offer many deals on baked goods when you get your receipt, which will prompt you to eat an unneeded 800 calories if you're a glutton like me. This is where most of the seating in the store is located, but you can find comfier chairs behind the magazine section and a little past the customer service counter on your right; near the fiction and mystery sections. (Again, this is if they don't decide to move things around on me.) This location also has plenty of gifts to choose from for people of any age. My personal favorite is the large wall of leather journals and notebooks available on the left side of store; a little bit before the customer service desk when you enter the store. They have a small art section to chose from with actually pretty decent brands of markers to choose from, which surprised me. There's a parking garage nearby, (by Spot Coffee and West Elm) as well as street parking. This is also extremely close to WEHA if you don't mind walking a bit from parking up there. The store is very organized and the only thing I wish they had was more than one cashier available at all times at the register since it's busy at times. I have also heard that sometimes online they'll say they have a book in stock when that is not the case. Just a quick warning for potential customers! If you want a relaxing place to just sit and read or are in need of a certain book or gift; come on down to the B&N in Blueback. Bookworms, this will be your sanctuary! read more

DISCLAIMER: We *never* Yelp chains, whether restaurant or retail. The only time we've violated that rule in the past is for hotel chains. We'll make another exception for an exceptional bookstore: the Barnes & Noble in Blue Back Square. We are not Blue Back "groupies." In fact, we try to avoid crassly commercial situations like BB, and also Westfarms, Buckland Hills, Farmington, and even the tony Shops at Evergreen Walk. All that being said, the Blue Back Barnes & Noble is a cut above -- because of its people, mostly, and a charming assortment of items above and beyond books. Now, best buddy (the big reader in the house) has had more than one situation with this store in particular, and also Barnes & Noble as a retailer. Their website is *never* up-to-date. Items marked as available in a certain location are often not. One employee, when asked about the discrepancy, responded "you can't go by that," and admitted that the website is woefully inaccurate. He and I both would rather walk through a bookstore and put our hands on the books (color me embarrassed to say I have had an Amazon Prime membership for years). His customer-service experiences at several B&N units has been outrageously unacceptable (and from 'book people,' too! The shame of it all.) The reason why I'm so happy with this store? 1) I've been greeted warmly every time, 2) there are real "book people" who work here, and several of them are just as excited about the expanded offering of items over and above books that they offer, 3) the store is huge, well-arranged and easy to peruse. They have a coffee cafe (which actually came in really handy after having a few drinks at a bar nearby). The experience I'd like to relate to fellow Yelpers is a lazy week-day, in the morning, when we walked in and were looking around, and one of the staff there (he's there all the time) was carrying around the most marvelous owl puppet. He showed it to me at the first sign of my interest. The eyes moved, and the entire thing was obviously made with care, and was very substantial (measuring over 12") -- and it was only $45. I'd have paid $100 for it. That the fellow felt comfortable approaching me with it, in this place, speaks volumes about how in-tune the help at this particular B&N store is. Go here if you're bored with other B&N stores. But rev up your credit card or bring plenty of cash; they're gonna have something you just *have* to bring home! read more

This is a pretty big Barnes & Noble. I've never noticed any B & N with a video section that has detectors that you need to pass through. Is theft really that big of an issue these days? Parking for this store has the same issue as any other shop in BBS, you have to pay for parking in the garage and walk to where you need to go. As I say though, it is what it is. We enjoy looking through all the discounted items and novelty books when we come to B & N. There is always a great selection. Also, one thing that really sets B & N apart from other book stores is the incredibly kid friendly environment. My kids have always enjoyed coming and playing with the toys and picking out children's books. There is a coffee café but I do not know about the prices as I did not go up for an order. Customer service here was awful and rude. The lady's restroom was locked and had an "Out Of Order" sign on it. When I snagged a girl who worked there to ask if there was another restroom to use she rudely told us to use the men's room...seriously? Where do the female employees who work there go since the lady's room is out of order? There is no way we would have gone in the men's room and suggesting it was wrong. Unfortunately, we were not happy with the attitude we received and we left. Too bad because we always love spending our money at B & N but next time we will go to a different one. read more

Barnes & Noble - Bookstores Near Me - West Hartford, Connecticut

See all

Used to be a great place to sit on laptop and get some work done. Lately, I come to find out that they've removed all the power outlets in the store as a way to discourage people from using the cafe as place to study / work from home. I do both, and sometimes I like to work on coding projects and don't want to sit in my apartment. Seeing as this is a staple of the business, I have reason to believe this was done out of passive-aggressiveness malice towards customers. Yet the surrounding coffee shops have no issues with customers using their dining area to do this, so this makes me think that management didn't want to deal it, they don't want the business from customers who will sit in the cafe all day and pay for coffee and snacks throughout the day. No other store has done this. Its a straight up passive-aggressive gesture by some manager who didn't want to deal with the daily volume of customers brought by the cafe. read more

While waiting for a table at the Cheesecake Factory we decided to stop in at this Barnes & Noble. When we walked into the store we were excited to see how large it was, as well as the fact that they had a lot of items on clearance. The cafe here was bumping and there was a great vibe coming from the staff in the cafe. Overall, the selection here was phenomenal and the staff cashing us out were quick and very polite. read more

See all

I really like this Barnes and Noble not just to read and buy gifts/books, but if you're really looking to study in a quiet comfortable space you need to go to the cafe inside. Unlike any other noisy and busy cafe or coffee shop in the area it is very easy to focus, and other people there are very respectful of your space and noise. Not to mention the food is actually really good if you're there for a while get the $5 flatbread for a nice snack while your reading. read more

Why do I like this place? Because it's convenient to me and this is a kid friendly place. The kid section not only has books but has toys for them to play with. A great way to associate fun with reading for children. I think this Barnes & Nobles looks like all other Barnes & Nobles. Nothing too spectacular other than the children's area. I dunno. This is a cool place to hang out, bring your kids to pick out books and play, then head off to do more shopping or hanging out in the area. read more

Gorgeous clean bookstore with lots of options. I love how their is a Starbucks inside. You can sit inside for hours and read books and drink coffee -- a perfect Spring day. They have tons of bargain books, great selection, nice employees. This B&N is in a great location in Blue Back. Perfect for shopping and browsing if you're waiting for a table for dinner. I love Barnes and Noble! read more

Great customer service. They're helpful at coming up with similar recommendations of books you're looking for. If you have kids, great place to bring them. The kid section is welcoming and designed to just feel magical. read more

One of the better Barnes & Noble stores I've been to, this place is the best spot in the West Hartford Blue Back Square area to browse books, drink coffee or tea, and get online. The bookstore is one of the largest I've seen in CT. The cafe is nicely arranged with lots of tables on two levels, and the manager and staff are always super friendly. Only the mildest of complaints: there's only one outlet in the cafe to plug a laptop into, so you'll need a good battery and a full charge to spend time on your laptop if it's crowded. Parking in West Hartford is mostly a rather pricey pay to play situation, but if you don't mind walking a bit, there is free parking just to the south of Blue Back on Burr St (2hrs) and Boulevard (no limit). read more

This location is a clean store, with many selections with a nice cafe...but...and my reason for 1 star...is the fact that the management is AWFUL! The staff REFUSES to man the extensive front checkout, preferring to be LAZY and force customers to use a center customer service counter. Employees either mill about here ignoring customers or stand there looking at their smart phones...while one ONE person does a checkout! My wife and I usually have breakfast or coffee at the Spot in West Hartford, and then used to have Barnes & Noble be one of the stores to shop at next...but over the past year, on more than one occasion, we have given up waiting for a checkout, and instead drop our books on whatever table there is and walk out...then order what we wanted on Amazon! Great move B&N! Corporate, are you listening? District and Regional managers?! Retail in the past was always about customer service, and never letting anyone who bothered to stop in a store leave without making a purchase. Whatever your sales volume is, it could be a heck of a lot better if you trained the people better, inspired a work ethic, and enforced positive values. B&N stores in North Haven CT and Milford CT are FAR better with treating the customer right and helping out! How is it that they get it right and this location doesn't??? read more

This is probably one of the better Barnes and Nobles I have been to. There are so many different varities of books and toys for all ages. I often come here to study but have noticed that there aren't many outlets around the cafe area. Quiet frankly, I've only been able to find two near the cafe area. That would probably be the only downside to this specific location. Overall, it is a very well managed and clean store. read more

The staff at the cafe leave a lot to be desired. Slow and convoluted. When it was my turn the server said, " It's my break. Someone else will have to help you." read more

Great location but closes earlier than most B&Ns in the area.

Grest selection of books, movies and games. Great food in the café and the price is fine for me. Its a lovely place to take kids, and to sit and work. read more

I like this Barnes and Noble because it is never too full. It is easy to browse and no lines at the counter.

Got scammed with b&n membership card. Sales woman did not let us know it cost $25. We found out by looking on receipt. In the era of Amazon I can't believe this behavior would happen. There should be trust between customer and companies. I will never shop at b&n again. read more

a nice b&n. i think they are remodeling, seems like a lot of stuff is being moved around. pretty big toy dept. shrinking dvd and music dept. decent magazine selection. read more