Great place that has a variety of items. Books, snacks, anime items, T-shirt's, I can keep going on with the list. And it's so fun to browse all the items. Not just a bookstore. We always find things here, even items we didn't know we needed. read more

See all

This bookstore is very well curated and has one of the best selections of books in the area. I knew that BAM was known for its large selection of Manga, but I was even more impressed by the selection of business and home and hobby books. There are some good deals in the bargain section too. The staff was friendly and helpful, and a special thanks to Kyle who found my phone and kept it safe until I turned around to retrieve it. read more

The sign over the entrance says BAM. We have gone past this many times and I remember commenting "I wonder what that place is." It's quit a big place like Barnes & Noble was. I had a very helpful guy walk me to the section I needed however I had a question at checkout and the cashier seemed confused. I asked about ordering a book they didn't have on the shelf. So you may need to help them to help you. At the entrance there were two tables of fiction for around $5.00 which is fantastic if I read that stuff. Many were by Danielle Steel. I was there mid week and the store was near empty so I worry that they may not survive. Get your bargains while you can. I read that they had a coffee shop but did not see it but I was in a hurry and did not search around either. Certainly stress free shopping with or without coffee. read more

For the most part, I love this place. The only room for improvement I would suggest is that there should be more staffing. There was one Sunday where I needed to pick up a book but I was in a hurry. I was the second of 6 people in line and there was nobody at the cash register. I called the store just to get someone to come to the register so we could get cashed out. I am really glad they have secondhand books now so I can give them my business instead of purchasing used books off Amazon and wait 10 days for one book. The older lady and her daughter who work there are both super nice. I feel bad i don't remember their names. read more

Very poor experience! They had no employee's out on the floor to help me find the books I was looking for. Then when I went to pay there was a long line and my cashier Melissa is holding up the line with each customer to push memberships and then magazine subscriptions on everyone without being up front about having to sit on the phone to cancel them. When there's a long line of customer you shouldn't be holding up the line to push magazine. Do not fall for the magazine they tell you it's a risk free two month trail but it automatically renews so you have to sit on the phone and cancel each one! Don't let them push them on you!!! Huge waste of time definitely buying my books elsewhere. read more

Beware of the magazine subscription the cashiers push on you. Very deceptive and shady.

This place was highly recommended by the locals. If you like books, BAM has a decent selection ranging from comic books, to magazines, and so on. In my opinion, what set this bookstore apart from its competition was their "gifts/collectible" section. I've never seen a bookstore with so much variety when it comes to collector items/fandom trinkets.. They are decently priced compare to their competitors. Also, Joe Muggs cafe has an outside sitting. Only little negative thing I can say is that their cafe menu should have a bigger option to choose from; (A nice sandwich menu would be a really great addition) and the reason why I only gave it four stars.. but yeah, this is now my new spot. I come here few times a week! oh, also, Sabrina, (the barista) makes great latte! :) read more

Books-A-Million - Books A Million is a nice cozy little place for book nerds, coffee addicts, and young at heart like myself! - Bookstores Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

This took over an old Borders book store space. This was my first trip in to a B-A-M store and it wasn't what I expected. I thought it was going to be cheap books, lots of remainders, etc - but it's really just a book store much like borders was. Lots of magazines (too many actually, they shelves were impossible to browse for titles), lots of books (the cook book section had a lot of titles i havent seen in any other book stores and it was pretty well organized and sorted), and they still have an LP section! yes, music on vinyl records. NICE. They also have a cafe. the art section was very small. smaller than the bible section. I guess the deal here is if you pay to join their club you get 10% off and free shipping if you order from them online. Since I dont live nearby it wasnt worth it for me, but if you but lots of books, etc it might be a deal. read more

Not bad, I think this use to be a Borders! Surprisingly the books I didn't think they would have we're actually on the shelf! read more

Books-A-Million - Bookstores Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

Lets face it, there is not another book store of this size anywhere around, and reading the other yelp reviews here surprised me a lot. Ive got to say, as someone who has actually been there a number of times I have never been treated anywhere near the same way as Jen or Laurie. It has always been a fairly standard experience in fact that I had received at both Borders and Barnes and Nobles. They do not have great prices, at best I would say they are average. If you are only interested in getting really good prices on books though you should buy them at amazon anyways. You go to a store like this so you can flip through the book, read a little bit of it, try out a few others that are on the shelf, and not have to wait a week to actually have the book. Every time I have shopped here for books I have had a decent experience. The lines are have not been that long, the service has been acceptable. I have never been hassled by "right wing christian republicans" in the store, and they really do have a pretty good selection. After the Borders closed there was a definite void that BAM has gone a long way to fill. It is not perfect, it is definitely more corporate feeling than I might prefer but I think some of the other reviewers have gone a bit over the top in their condemnation of the place. Id recommend the place, and I am in fact considering going there tonight or tomorrow. read more

The most horrible customer service ever. As I was at the register, the cashier Deirdre was telling me about the membership card. After I declined the first time, she asked if I was crazy. After I declined the second time she said "Well then you must be stupid" and told me she'd give me a second to think about it before she completed my transaction. This is beyond horrible behavior. I can understand pushing a card but she insulted me and the entire experience was humiliating read more

When you go to the counter to pay for your stuff, be prepared to be harassed. The sales associate will ask you whether you have a rewards card, and if you don't, she or he will proceed to harass you about it. But it's only $xx! But you would have saved $XX! Did you know it "blah blah blah"?!! But how often do you come here? If you're really unlucky, like I was today, when you politely but firmly and calmly say, "I'm already familiar with it and I'm not interested in it, or in the magazines," the sales associate will go on a tirade in response -- saying that at least 10 people a day get angry just like YOU & "yell" at her about it. She'll also admit that there are many people who buy it just so that they won't have to hear about it again in the future. Then, she'll lament, "I just want to keep my job." And finally, she'll hit you with the mother lode: "Customers like you give me anxiety." Wow.. Here I am trying to hand over my money to BAM for a book, and I'm being told that I added anxiety to the sales associate's life. In response to that, I asked her whether she's raised that issue with her boss and with corporate, and she said, "Corporate doesn't care." There you have it, folks. She's right, by the way -- I emailed corporate about this issue in December 2015. In my last visit a month ago, when I firmly expressed disinterest in the rewards program, the sales associate let it go and allowed me to pay without further admonishment. However, today's visit confirms that the culture hasn't much changed. The problem is still there. This is really a shame. This one issue significantly damages this business. They have a ton going for them: a huge selection of books, music, kids' toys/activities, technology products, gifts, and even greeting cards; a small coffee shop; and usually fairly nice or festive background music. It has all the makings of being a lovely place to shop regularly for oneself or for gifts, especially around the holidays, but the check-out experience is always abysmal. It's so bad that sometimes when I think about going, I ask myself, "Do I want to deal with being harassed at the register?" Usually, the answer is no, so I avoid their store. Sometimes I make a deal with myself: "I'll go, but I'll avoid the harassment by not buying anything there. I'll window shop & buy it later tonight on Amazon." Unfortunately, they also have a bit of a monopoly on our region. They replaced Borders, and there is no other major book store around, unless you count the lovely Book Barn in Niantic. I suspect their stranglehold on the area is another reason why they haven't bothered to address this customer service issue. More likely, it's just what the sales associate today said: A lot of people get so fed up with being harassed that they just fork over the money so that they won't have to hear it again for a year, which means that the harassment is ultimately monetarily effective. I don't think that's something a business should be proud of, but what do they care if they're making the money? As such, and as a whole, I could not, in good conscience, recommend this business to anyone. read more

We've lived in the area for 5 years and really like BAM! I was excited to find a large bookstore so close when we first got here. While things can be a little slow, I love that you can go in and browse for as long as you'd like without harassment. I have never experienced any of the customer service issues others have complained about. I have always found the staff to be friendly. It is rare that I go in and don't find what I am looking for! Their selection is pretty well rounded! read more

Always helpful at finding what your looking for and trying to make the visit cost effective. I really appreciate this extra effort. Always knowledgable and accommodating as well. read more

Bought a book. It was delivered to the wrong address. They acknowledged mistake. They refused to accept return. Even tried to return it before it arrived. It came too late. Their attitude was so sad, too bad. Never again! read more

I have never had an interest in reading throughout my life until just recently. I ordered my Harry Potter boxed set anxious to read them all, unfortunately BAM could not feed my addiction like a good bookstore would do. TWICE I called customer service in hopes my books were shipped after not receiving a shipping email after almost TWO WEEKS. The first lady, the idiot, explained to me that I needed to update my payment method, which I did and she told me I was all set. Almost four days passed with no such shipping email. Distressed, I called the customer service back, and finally got a hold of someone with some sense. The guy told me that my order had NEVER EVEN BEEN PUT THROUGH!! I am quite upset with this trash company and its tragic customer service. If I could give less than a one-star review I would do it. Not only have they lost me as a customer, but never will I recommend their books to another. If your thinking of shopping here, don't. read more

Absolutely horrible customer service. Please listen to other reviews claiming the same as I. The sales associate who checked me out asked if I was interested in a free two month magazine trial. I eventually gave in, simply giving my name, address and the magazine subscriptions I was interested in. As the associate stated the details of the "free" trial it became apparent that I would be charged following the free trial if I did not call to cancel the subscriptions myself. After hearing this, I immediately told the cashier I no longer wanted the subscriptions, but she told me she had already put the transaction through. I was appalled because I did NOT give her ANY of my card information and she did not inform me at all of the full trial details until AFTER she put in the transaction. So, she used the card I charged for my earlier item without my knowledge and also completed a transaction (which will charge my card if I do not cancel the subscriptions myself) without giving me the full details of the trial. I will NOT return here. read more

Always good costumer service!......except the cafe if realllly slow.

I will NEVER shop there again. beware of a scam and a desperate company pushing products on consumers. I purchased a book from this store and upon checkout.... after pushing store card and credit card.... on me I was scammed into signing up for a year subscription to three magazines. the cashier made the story sound like I will be given three free magazines and sent to my address free of charge. as I said yes and picked out what magazines I would like for free I find out she used the credit card information that I had given to pay for my book to subscribe me for a YEAR.... to 3 different magazine companies. I immediately turned around to cancel my new "subscription" but they played it off like no big deal and the cashier that I had check me out was no longer there... instead I received a new face and some one who downsized the whole situation. even this new cashier attested to the fact that she should have explained things better to me but there is nothing they can do. sending me out the door like as if i was bothering them... worst experience ever.. worst part of the whole thing is I can not cancel my subscription for up to two months... they are hoping that I will forget about it and be charged behind my back... Stay away from this store... She USED MY CREDIT CARD INFORMATION WITH OUT MY KNOWLEDGE...... read more

Your customer service has much to be desired. I asked for help locating a specific book. You stormed off to thd area. The author's book wasn't there so you took off. No dialogue, no help. I should have just ordered online. read more

This was one of the worst customer service experiences of my life. My wife and I went there to casually browse and purchase some books. When we went to check out, we were harassed by two sales associates (one who had a mad hatter's hat on and another with blue hair in November). They went on and on about how my coupon wasn't really valid and kept insisting that we sign up for the BAM store card. They were relentless and basically talking to us like we were stupid school children for not buying the card. Also one of the ladies claimed she knew me and "I helped you before and you come here all the time" even though I live an hour away, have only been there once before and never ask for assistance. Anyway, we both explained that we were not buying the store card and just wanted to check out. Obviously they didn't want to hear this because they were dead set on getting their sign up commission. If I hadn't wanted the books I was purchasing as gifts, we both would've walked out. My wife and I were finally allowed to make our purchases and leave the store after further lecturing. We both agreed that this was a ridiculously stressful trip to the bookstore and it was more pressure than buying a car. Needless to say, we won't be back. I'll be ordering my books online from another company in the future. Hopefully this store decides to stop harassing their remaining customers. I hope no one else has to deal with the aggravation of something that is supposed to be relaxing. read more