We came across town to this B&N for puzzles. They had a good selection. Only confusing part is Galison puzzles have their own little section near the register vs the back with the other puzzles. This was a really busy store, I didn't realize it was so busy. We had to ask an employee where the puzzles were and they seemed kind of meh and pointed. They were stocking puzzles, so I thought they'd be close by. Prices were very varied for the puzzles, so just had to look and weigh what to get. Great variety. read more

Yes, super friendly, organized, well lite and relaxing atmosphere! Love that it has a Starbucks inside!

Came in here on Friday afternoon hoping to get a graduation gift. The line was all the way to the door. Only one cashier. Manager had a rude attitude when I expressed that I have been standing in line for 15 mins. Her response was " the employees are on their break and we are doing the best we can" How is having a line all the way to the door is " doing the best we can"? read more

Normally, I'm team local, independent bookstore, but for a wide selection of travel books, Barnes & Nobles is unbeatable. Bulgaria, Romania, Kazakhstan, Barnes & Nobles lets you travel to all parts of the world through their travel section. This location comes with a large parking lot, a cafe inside, and plenty of books. Unlike other Barnes & Nobles this location is only one floor. It's not as big as other locations. read more

Everything went well! Took my grandson and he loved it! We went to the children's section and explored the books about dinosaurs and also got a lizard stuffie. read more

A classic bookstore near Alexandria There are now over 625 Barnes & Noble locations in the United States as of December 2025, spanning nearly every state and territory. The Barnes & Noble at 3651 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22305 is easy to find just off Route 1. It is surrounded by plenty of parking and a nice mix of shops and restaurants. It is a very nice store clean, well-organized, and welcoming. The front of the store features large windows that let in lots of natural light, making the browsing experience pleasant. To the right of the entrance is the coffee shop, perfect for grabbing a latte and settling in with a book. In the back are magazines and specially discounted books, which are easy to flip through. The main floor is carpeted and has several seating areas where you can sit and read comfortably. As with most of their locations, books are neatly separated into categories, though I found my chosen Clive Cussler titles were spread across three different sections, which was a minor challenge. But, the information counter is straight ahead as you enter so they helped me located some titles to read. Checkout is located to the left as you enter. Overall, this Barnes & Noble is clean, well-stocked, and has friendly staff. It is worth a visit if you're in the area and in the mood for good reading. Enjoy. read more

I have become a huge fan of the cafe that they have inside of the store. I actually stumbled upon this location as I was walking past to go to a nearby grocery store that has a similar cafe. However the cafe here is much more comfortable and better. Instead of just 3 or 4 tables, they have closer to 20. I've been cafe surfing over the past couple of months just so that I can get some coding work done. The WiFi is strong, and the music has been maintained at low moderate level. Try going to some of the chain cafes in the area and tell me how loud the music is. It's as almost as if the restaurant music is to entertain the employees, nevermind the customers' needs. That wasn't the case here at all. The only downside is the lack of food options and some of the few drinks that they do have here are pricey. I enjoyed my time here today and plan on coming back soon! read more

Barnes & Noble - Newspapers & Magazines Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Barnes & Noble is a great place to shop for books, magazines and for so much more. Barnes & Noble is also a nice place to relax with a cup of coffee, and with plenty of reading materials. read more

The book was there for me and the people there were courtesy. I am very happy with this.

I've been here a few times and I like their selection of books and their displays. As is expected with any B&N, the space is large and clean and relatively quiet. This one has a Starbucks inside but is part of the bookstore and as such does not accept the Starbucks app for payment. They do take tap and pay however. read more

Barnes & Noble - Newspapers & Magazines Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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i visit this barnes&noble often and the springfield location when going to the mall.after many years, ive found barnes & noble staff always extremely helpful in their stores, online or on phone. if i order a hard to get best seller, they give me a great timeline when i'll get the book. their management is always very helpfu to customers. read more

This is a well organized store and well stocked with current books. The Starbucks café inside has tables and chairs to sit. I had a pleasant time browsing books here. read more

Barnes & Noble - Newspapers & Magazines Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Asked for an associate to locate a book for me and after 30 minutes of waiting, i learned she forgot about me. the manager was not nice in helping. read more

I'm glad that's this business is still around despite the proliferation of electronic reading materials. A great place to browse, relax and find the paper reading media at your fingertips. There's also a convenient coffee bar with ample seating within the store. My only complaint is the hours. It wasn't the one posted on the door. read more

Nice selection of books and other reading essentials. Currently had a great sale section for Calendars Aug 2020- Dec 2021 year. Friendly staff and very spacious inside. read more

The book that I wanted was not in stock. One of the employees ordered it for me and it arrived in 4 days. They really seem to PUSH joining their discount club for $25 I need to think if I order enough stuff to warrant paying that amount. Store is always clean. Staff is always helpful. read more

Barnes and Noble in Potomac Yards is a good place to study on the weekdays from 8pm-close. I usually get a rice krispy treat and just drink water while I'm studying. It's a good atmosphere and you usually see the same people studying or creating the next greatest novel during the week. This is a solid place to study at night on the weekdays. read more

I was so disappointed with the poor customer service, especially after driving to 30 minutes in traffic. The short, AA literally harassed me out the store at closing stating "they all wanted to go home" and I didn't get to purchase my book. This is why Amazon is winning. read more

Tidy and well-stocked, but not much room for reading. I did pick up a magazine to read on the plane, but there wasn't much space to sit and browse. Not just books in B&N these days. Gaming and toys and journaling notebooks and pens. Need a gift for a reader? A nice bookmark should do! read more

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With the advent of the Kindle and Amazon, the local bookstore is as rare as a unicorn these days, so that is why I have to give a nod to this Barnes and Noble. They really are very involved in the community, donating part of the day's profits to the local high school every first December weekend. They are also very helpful, and I have never had a problem finding any book. However, what I really love about this store is all of the odds and ends you can find that are more kitsch than book. On my last visit, I had to burn a gift card, but I didn't really need a new book. And that's when I spotted a treasure trove of cool items for family and friends alike: A Incredible Hulk key chain for one my colleagues who is an avid fan of the green guy...Hulk Smash!!; A world globe for my mom who has been begging me for that geographic wonder for months now; and for me, a Breaking Bad/Walter White/Heisenberg action figure, because nothing says science like a guy in a yellow jumpsuit and gasmask...Best show ever!! Yup, it is a wonderful store, and I can find little wrong with it...Ok, they didn't have anything on living as an expat, but that is on order.. read more

Border's books in Potomac Yard shopping center is one of my favorite places to loose myself in a good hunt for a good book. The place is huge, and there is both a coffee shop which serves lattes - and great overstuft chairs to crawl into and curl up with a good book. The book selection is fantastic, with great service staff. Kudos to the management there, because they pick great employees. Every time I have been there, I walked away happy.... and with a book. Or two. Their music and children's sections are well laid out and proportioned correctly to the size of the entire store. Periodicals and newspapers are also available. I'll often see locals with laptops, so there must be free wifi as well. If you're a bookworm, or just a browser, you'll enjoy stopping here and checking out the selection. And make sure to check the bargain isles, as they have bargain books a plenty. read more

It's a Barnes & Noble. Indoors, they kinda all start to look the same. Its got a Starbucks. Its got books. This particular location is in the Potomac Yards shopping center, sandwiching it between stores like Old Navy and Target. Which means it's convenient. I could literally spend hours in a BN just exploring all the different book categories and reading a couple of pages out of a bunch of random books. The downside of this BN, at least on the evening I visited, was the lack of staff. I always find it difficult at BN when I am searching for a particular book. It always seems to be in the last possible category I thought to look in. And at this BN, the staff were particularly hard to find. Maybe they were just all busy? Though, it didn't seem crowded in the least. Oh well. Just try to know before you go if you are hunting for something specific. If just browsing, this BN is pretty much just like all the rest - a great place to wander around and gain tiny bits of knowledge. read more

This place is a miserable place to shop. Management has decided to revamp the book display so you are faced with 2 rows of books on religion as soon as you walk in, just in case you've forgotten to consider perdition lately. The paint and wallpaper look like they haven't been refreshed in decades. The huge display of magazines had a total of one parenting magazine. But if you're looking for magazines on guns and wedding dresses, you'll be all set. The cafe is staffed by one person who takes the orders and then makes the drinks, ensuring that you'll have an epic wait even if you just want a bottle of water. The seating area is dirty. There aren't many chairs and the chairs are all very uncomfortable. I asked about seeing a Nook and it turned out they do have a display--in front of the customer service window where everyone lines up behind you. The staff have no idea how the Nooks work and the tablet version is broken. I'm currently on hold with their customer service line to fix an old Nook with no luck. Looks like I have a Kindle in my future. Too bad. I used to really like Barnes and Noble. read more

I went Barnes and Noble for their café to grab a cup of coffee and do some studying yesterday. I had been to this café previously during the week and remember it being very quiet. Although it was fairly quiet for a Sunday afternoon the occasionally baby crying and/or blender from the café would disturb my studying Zen. However I can't really complain because I knew going in the café is in the middle of a store. What I find interesting about the café is that there seems to be unspoken rule that the café is a quiet zone. In comparison, it kinda of reminds me of the quiet car on Amtrak you expect to be quiet most of the time but know you can't help that occasional person who gets a phone call or likes to share their music with their fellow passengers. The drinks are better than the food but it appeared that they had expanded their menu to serving hot sandwiches which were not available the last time I went to the café a few weeks ago. In a nutshell, I found this café to be a better place to studying than free most of the free standing Starbucks in the area because people seem to understand that part of its purpose is for people to read or study. read more

Barnes & Noble - BN Cafe - Newspapers & Magazines Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I had almost forgotten what it was like to be in a bookstore. After almost exclusively doing my book shopping on Amazon or buying eBooks, there was just no need for me to visit a place like B&N anymore. (Yes, I was one of those people who contributed to the fall of bookstores. I'm sorry.) But stepping in here brought on a huge wave of nostalgia. I suddenly remembered why I loved going into the bookstore every weekend and I was wondering how I lost that feeling... There was even better selection than I remembered, and not just for books. They had a decent sized collection of (new) vinyls. They also had a bunch of toys ("models") including Gundam (Wing) kits and Sailor Moon figures! Too bad they were super expensive. The store is set up like pretty much any other B&N, which is either really boring or super convenient depending on the kind of person you are. Magazine racks against the wall, kids section in the back, YA right against it with the manga close to that, etc. There's also the Starbucks cafe in the front like usual. The store is clean and while I didn't have any interactions with the staff here, everyone looked like they'd be willing to help. Not much else to say besides I'll definitely be back here. I can't believe I forgot how much fun it is to be in a bookstore! read more

Barnes & Noble - Children's section - Newspapers & Magazines Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

This location is OK-it has the basics but that's about it. Customer service was actually super helpful in locating a title for me despite it being crazy crowded on a Saturday during the holiday shopping season. I wish I was able to do some pleasure reading (just one more semester left of reading required books for grad school) because the bargain book area was quite nice. This location on that particular day was just way too crowded as in stepping over people who refused to move that were sitting on the floor reading crowded. This is why I prefer independent book stores or, if I must, Amazon. Check out was a breeze as they had all lanes open and a manager chastising the employees to move more quickly so I was in and out with a gift pretty quickly. read more

I love actual books. I take my kindle when traveling but I enjoy turning pages. I couldn't find an employee when I was trying to find a book but the topics are neatly laid out. If you plan on visiting the cafe, go after you have made your store purchase. There is a good chance you'll get a coupon for something at the little cafe inside the bookstore. read more

As far as Barnes and Noble locations go, this one is on the upper end. Helpful staff and conveniently located, it's an easy way to knock out some bookish shopping. This weekend was a neat robot and 3D printing display happening which delighted everybody. You can find yourself a chair and watch the place hummmn. read more

Barnes & Noble - Train - Newspapers & Magazines Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Went to purchase a few books at this location last night between 7p and 8p. I was aware, prior to shopping here, that prices were way cheaper, for the same books I wanted, on Amazon. I wanted the personal experience and to be able to ship the items myself to the recipient. As I entered, I asked one of the associates if they did price matching with Amazon. He seemed to be in a hurry to get to his intended destination (within the store) but he answered my question, stating between B&N website and store prices only. I browsed on my own for a few minutes before heading over the the customer service desk to ask for assistance. I asked the associate for help locating three books, all of which were by the same author. He walked over to the area of the store where the book should be and found one. He said the others were not available in the store. He took off shortly after and I kept looking for some additional books. I finally decided to head to the cashier to check out. The cashier who assisted me was pleasant and asked if I found everything okay. I told her there was actually another book I couldn't seem to find in the store. She offered to look it up for me and I obliged. While looking for the item, a full figured female (provided for identification) came up behind her and started prompting her with questions and options. The book for which I asked was unavailable in the store. The lady then started asking me questions about if I wanted to have it ordered and delivered in the store. I told her I wanted to leave with the book. She then told me there were similar titles and related books in the store. I told her I had a list with which to purchase from and if that particular book was not in the store, I had another title to try. While the first associate was willing, the lady made it a point to let me know this was the cashier area and they did not search for titles there, I would have to go back to customer service. I thought twice about embarrassing her in front of the new employee. First of all, the only reason B&N exists is to serve customers and as a customer, I could care less if the service is being provided by the cashier, customer service representative, or someone else on the floor. As a PAYING customer, I care about the quality of the merchandise and the quality of service. All employees of B&N are trained to work all areas of the store so when the line gets too long at cash/wrap, more (floor) associates can assist until the line goes down. I've been in B&N numerous times and heard the announcement for "all available associates to come to cash wrap". Here's the kicker: there wasn't another customer on line waiting to checkout so that wasn't an issue. Amazon has the book I was about to purchase for three times (YES 3X less) less than what I was about to pay in B&N. I didn't mind though, because I again wanted the personal experience and was hoping for great customer service. In the end, the entire experience was ruined for me by one rude associate and I left empty handed. I then remembered Amazon has a bookstore on M Street in DC. I was willing to make the drive into the city from Alexandria to make the purchase there instead. Surely I'd have better customer service. I called ahead and found out the books were not available in the store. Such is life. I'll settle for the online experience, at home, without rude customer service representatives, while sipping on some wine. A tip for the full figured lady: you don't need to be training anyone. As a matter of fact, you need a class or two on effective customer service! The trainee/new employee was right to attempt to assist me. I hope she doesn't turn into a rude employee and God forbid I come back in there and have to encounter such rudeness from any one of the store associates. I will not be as kind the next time. Take a look around and see how many stores in this shopping center alone have closed, then look around at stores in other areas. B&N associates should be grateful customers are actually coming into their stores. The store wasn't crowded....matter of fact, you could count the number of customers in there at the time I visited. I'm not asking for a personal shopping experience with my own associate walking me around the store and holding my items, but I do expect good, if not great, customer service. I promise you, I won't shed a tear if the doors to this store (location) closes permanently. Quit taking your job and the stores' customers for granted! We have other options. read more

This review is pointed to the Starbuck inside the bookstore. I ordered a drink with 5 Espresso shots and 3 white mocha pumps over ice. It always costs me $4.45 at a regular Starbucks but they charged me $8 here. The lady even messed up my drink at the first time with chocolate mocha. I went to talk politely to a lady (manager I guess), after she checked from the register, told me if I could give her my credit card, they'll refund me 35 cents without any apologies for the mistake or anything. Still doesn't make sense for that price. I don't think I'll try this coffee place again. read more

Barnes & Noble - Newspapers & Magazines Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The staff members are rude and mean especially to black people. The lady at the Starbucks who wears glasses is very terrible. Comes and touches things on your table like your pen in this time of Covid. Very rude and their whole customer service is terrible... Stay away from this one! read more

Worst return/exchange policy ever. I understand they have to be strict so people don't treat the place like a library, but they wouldn't even let me exchange records I received as a gift that I already owned. In fact, they acted like I was some kind of criminal for asking. Can't a girl exchange a little Nirvana for some Bing Crosby? Apparently not. I'm convinced this company only stays in business because it smells like delicious coffee. read more

Typical B&N along with rude cashiers. Unfortunately it is the only bookstore in town. Each of the three times I have been in the checkout process turns into an argument about why I don't want to buy their damn membership, to the point I shall not return. read more

This is an over due review, thank goodness it not like an over due library book:). I visited this location in November and December and yesteday. The service has been consitantly great!, matter of fact this is were I got my grandsons Chrismas gifts from. In this day of electronic books books it's nice to know you have a place to go and smell a fresh print book lol. Now if you are not into the smell of a new books, maybe you like coffee. They have an area to sit read and drink coffee tea or whatever you like. The name of this place should be books, coffee and beyond. They offer more than books, they have so many gift given ideas. Candles, candy games even soaps and lotions. There is also a very large and well organized childern section. I thought it would be nice to introduce my grandsons to books that they don't have to plug up and charge lol. What better place to open the door of culture than a library or bookstore. I wanted to take their minds of fornite and mindcraft for a few hours. Well little did I know I was getting pulled deeper and deeper into gaming lol.I believe it was Ms. Katrina that showed us around and she really sepent a lot of time helping them get aquanted with the store. She was also very knowledgeble about things that boys from 8-11 are interested in. So my younder grandson of course picked up a book about mind craft:( and the older grandson wanted something about animation and codeing. When Ms Katrina found out my oldes liked codeing, she introduced him to Ms. Heather who knows everything in the world about gaming and codeing. There was one other person to, but the conversation was so intence I could not keep up. It was amazing to see the interaction between the generations. My grandsons left very happy. The left with books that sparked their interest, and a happy NaNa that doesn't have to make them read an additional hour daily. They read because they found interest in the books they chose. During Christmas at the last minute I decieded that my grandsons needed one more iteam for Chirstmas from NaNa. I dropped by Barnes and Nobel at 615pm, they were closing at 7. Before I could get in the door I found the perfect gifts. Orgami Sets and Paper Plane sets perfect I picked them up and went to the cash register paid and had time to go to the gift wrapping table and wrap the iteams. I was to late fo have it wrapped, but they had all the materials to wrap it yourself, what more could you ask for. So when you have time in your busy day, stop breath and read. No better place to put it than this Barnes and Nobel location. Unitl next time Vonnie read more

Great Barnes & Nobles. We went looking for whatever because we had a gift card but come to find out they have a decent manga section in the back so that's where we spent most of our time. The guy at the register was also very helpful and sweet. And of course like any Barnes & nobles there was a Starbucks inside. If you just need something to do one day this is a great one to come to because there are like 6 other stores in the same strip. read more

I honestly really like this location. Specifically the atmosphere inside. Starbucks inside of you want a coffee / snacks and some tables to sit at while you're checking out a book. Lots of books and miscellaneous content. Cozy atmosphere. Can spend hours here and get lost in the good vibe. read more

Their sales are great, especially when cookbooks are in the Bargain Section but I have to thank this particular Barnes and Noble because 6 years ago, this bookstore changed my life. WHO KNEW How so? well 6 years ago coming from The Corcoran I decided to stop and look for some art books on sale, which they have all the time. So I went to the Art Section and then this charming man comes up to me and says ' Do you know where the Computer Section is? ' I gave him a cold reply and thank goodness that didn't repel him. That Question struck a conversation for the next hour. Now I know this has nothing to do with what books they have or how great their customer service is but that conversation 6 yrs ago to that charming man, well he is still with me. read more

I love a good bargain and during the holiday season there are plenty here. This location is great the parking lot is huge and sometimes full but I have always managed to find a parking space. If you're a browser like myself the assortment of collections are awesome. I have found myself going in for one thing and leaving with 3 extra books. The cafe is great with refreshing drinks and sandwiches while reading. read more

This is one of my favorite barnes and nobles in the area. The parking is easy, they have a pretty large coffee area and the staff don't give you a hard time if you stay there long, and it's not crazy busy, but busy enough where you can take a people watching break if you needed to. read more

The best Barnes and Noble in Alexandria. It is large, tastefully designed with the, discerning intellectual, bookworm, web surfer, student, and writer in mind. It also has a nice size children's and teen section, although I do not have kids, I have seen it. It has a large diverse selection of books at moderate prices and also a good selection of bargain books and unique kits. They also have a, comfortable cafe with nice size tables and offer coffee, tea, delicious cheesecake, pastries, and sandwiches. You may also use their free Wifi connection. Inside the store there is a large magazine and newspaper selection and benches and chairs to read in. There is a section partitioned off which is the music and DVD area and carries a great selection. The music is tasteful and subdued. The store is decorated with a warm and inviting literary type feel to it. It feels like an old coffee type style hang out in the city. The gadget called the Nook," for about a year, which is a digital storage reader for books. It is quite an interesting design and although it took me a few months to even consider reading a book on it, as I am very old school, I did eventually decide to research it. It is user friendly and also has different typefaces for readers and various covers that are designed to have a feel of a book. B and N is my home away from home. I often write, read and have coffee and eat. The only minus is that the Starbucks Coffee drinks are not up to par with the coffee made at the "real" Starbucks Coffee shops. This is probably just my personal opinion, as I am a true "Coffee Snob" and have never trusted pseudo Starbucks inside Hotels or Bookstores! read more

Barnes & Noble - Potomac Yards, Alexandria, VA - Newspapers & Magazines Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia