Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Services - The Guide Post

    Cards and stationery

    The Guide Post Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - The Guide Post

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    Barnes & Noble

    Barnes & Noble

    (6 reviews)

    It has been a number of years since I had been in a Barnes and Noble, the last time being down in…read moreOcala (since the one in Gainesville had closed down many years before). Hearing that one had opened in Gainesville again, I thought that to be interesting, but not something that I really needed to go into deliberately... no, I could wait until I was in the area and didn't really have much else planned. Well, that time has finally come, and after a visit through Best Buy two doors down (where I didn't buy anything... I was just curious what technological gadgets exist these days) I walked into Barnes and Noble. Entering, it seemed to have the same sorts of things I have grown accustomed to in these stores over the years. Newly published and best sellers at the front, then stacks going towards the back that hold various subject matter. Coffee shop to the right, which was NOT Starbucks and therefore did not make the entire store reek of burnt coffee. I started walking through the store, when I realized that the layout is not all that great. Because of the height of the stacks and the way that they are labelled, it is pretty much impossible to know where different sections of material are located without walking through the entire store to find them. Sight lines are kind of ruined, so figuring out where romance novels or the kids section is will take a bit of exploring. However, this is not the problem I had with the store. I mean, I get that... you want people to walk through the store to some extent so that they see more of the store and what you have to offer. No... My biggest problem with the store is that once I found the section I wanted, the books were in no discernible order! Every other store I have ever been in (that wasn't a second hand store where books kind of just get grouped into a section) has the books ordered alphabetically by author, but here? Nope. Science fiction and fantasy started out with the A's, quickly ramped through the alphabet, then started again. Same happened with the Y/A section and children's section. It just... doesn't make sense. Looking for a very popular author in the SciFi/Fantasy section, there were none in stock. None. An author with more than eighty titles, including recent (in the past year) releases, and nothing in stock. There are other bookstores in town, ones that are closer for me, and I do not see myself going to this store anytime soon.

    This B&N is a surely appreciated addition to Gainesville. I went in expecting a typical small…read morewatered down version of the bookstore but thankfully I think given the space they really maximized what they could do! It smells like books and has a warm but clean atmosphere. I was happy crossing the maze of bookshelves each corner I turned finding something interesting to read or hobby related item. There's a coffee shop inside that serves Starbucks and I feel like one could really spend hours here if they wanted to. The service was great and I found some things on sale even though the store just opened days ago.

    A Novel Idea Bookstore - Lord Byron the cat

    A Novel Idea Bookstore

    (16 reviews)

    $

    I have been itching to get some fiction to read since I recently got back into reading for fun. All…read morethe long and treacherous years of schooling ruined reading for me. Information regarding pricing or what was in stock was impossible to find so I had to go and check it out first hand. I was greeted upon immediately walking in. This place is way bigger than I thought it would be. I started browsing the book shelves that were in front and worked my way back towards the store. I only looked through the fiction section but noticed a huge selection of other genres like Sci Fi and Adult Romance. There was also a children's section in the back. Walking towards the front of the store, there were shelves with DVDs as well. In the middle of the store, there's a little lounge section with comfortable chairs and tables to read at. I was carrying several books so I decided to grab a shopping basket. They have the cool ones that have wheels and suitcase like handles. I finally made my way to the register and chatted with the employee. She asked if I found everything i was looking for, to which I did not. She offered to look up titles I wanted and even though they did not have any in the store, she offered to put my information in the system if those books do show up. I purchased 6 books and paid almost $20. Not horrible but I thought for sure it would be cheaper. They have a buy back program, where you receive store credits but I forgot to inquire about the details. Of course I will be back!

    This store proudly sells AI generated art that isn't labeled or described as AI generated. Would…read morenot be surprised if some of the books were also AI generated. Very disappointed as someone who also runs a small business in Ocala.

    The Guide Post - bookstores - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...