So I actually came here for a book club meeting, which was great. As a cafe it's slow. The lemon cake was not like your typical Starbucks Lemon loaf. And this cafe isn't really a Starbucks but a pseudo cafe of sorts. As a book store it's pretty good, lots of books and trinkets and whole kids area. read more

I buy my a lot of my books here but I don't care for the in-store Cafe. I love the smell of books and Tidal Wave sucks compared to here, but the workers are a little dumb (don't tell them I said that lol) read more

Eh. I'm not sure what the point is. B&N used to be a bastion of culture. While I grew up in a large metro in #FL...it still often felt like a small town. This is one of the first places where I ever had a non-drip coffee. Its magazine racks held...without getting too graphic...a lot of things a 13 y/o boy could appreciate. And...so many interesting books. So many more than the library, and presented in a much more intriguing fashion. (card catalog? BO-RING!) Times have changed though. Coffee shops have exploded. There are dozens within a few miles of this location. Books? Believe it or not, Amazon started as an online "BOOK" store. That's all they sold. The main selling point was "you can shop in your underwear!!!!!". You actually had to pay for shipping. In those days, you could make a good case for going into a B&N (or their competitor "Borders"). Now though? Amazon is consistently 20-50% cheaper on just about everything here. You'd think they'd price match? I asked them to price match a $20 book that was $15 on Amazon. They couldn't. I'll just wait a few days and save $5. I AM that cheap and I am NOT that impatient. They have all the stuff you're used to at a B&N, with some tweaks: Books: all the books Music: smartly focused on vinyl, the only physical media anyone still wants to pay for Starbucks: pretty big one located on-site Games: good selection of board games, the geekier the better Geek tchotchkes: overpriced figures/trinkets from geek culture (Star Wars, Dragon Ball Z, etc) read more

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Today, my students, staff and I were traveling in the community so we could work on teaching community skills. Our 3rd stop was Barnes & Noble since we had students who saved their money to purchase some items there. First, we had bought food at Walmart and since McDonalds and Subway were no longer there, we had to buy deli items. We had no place to sit down to eat at Walmart, so we decide to go to the Starbucks at Barnes & Noble where we planned to buy drinks. As students were eating (and very hungry) and I was in line buying items at Starbucks, I was told by a woman that we are not supposed to have outside food in there. I looked around and everyone was mostly done eating and I was waiting extra long for service by the cafe lady, so I continued to wait to be served first. Once I got our drinks, I went around to let my staff and students know they needed to wrap it up. They did immediately. I have my Starbucks items still and a few students were not finished, so we had to go sit on the curb in 40° weather to finish our lunch sitting on the curb as staff watched. After, we still went in to make our purchases in Barnes & Noble. As I am standing in line to assist my student with disabilities, the manager then goes over to stand at the door and ask my staff, "Why are you still here?" Had I known this, I would have put the items back and not purchased anything at this store. They have lost me and my staff and my family all as customers. Thank goodness for Amazon. Never B&N again. I used to work at a B&N and have NEVER seen customers treated so poorly. read more

I've been coming to this Barnes and Noble for a few years now and I can tell you things have went downhill the last year or so. Specifically the cleanliness of the store, manner in which they stock things (or lack thereof) and the restrooms are gross. Every time I've been there the past 6-8 months the mens room is always smelly, dirty, and usually has the homeless hanging out smoking and doing who knows what. The graffiti and other stuff written all over the stalls is a nice touch too. Not to sound heartless for the less fortunate but the anyone to take over the facilities and make them less for the paying customer is shortsighted and not very good for business. I enjoy coming here to read and relax but that's hard to do with knowing you may not be able to use the restroom of the need arises. They have "security" guards here but I don't see them doing much to curb the problems. I can't see this store staying open much longer if something isn't done to ensure the customers feel comfortable being in the store. read more

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It's a Barnes & Noble, which is pretty much like any other Barnes & Noble, but it is one of the few games in town when it comes to books. A large percentage of the floorspace is devoted to educational toys and games / gifts. The staff at this location seem helpful and knowledgeable. The store boasts a large parking lot. When the store is busy, it seems a bit understaffed. There is a full coffee shop located in the store as well. It may be a recent thing with plastic bag policies in the city, but they never seem to have bags available, which is inconvenient when it is raining. The store sometimes has good sales around holidays (such as the 50% off any hardbacks right now). read more

Barnes & Noble - Anchorage - books on a shelf - Cafes Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

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Love our B&N!!! Well organized books, brightly lit, friendly and attentive staff with an in-house Starbucks - how awesome is all that! The only poor aspect is the result of homeless hanging around and destroying the bathrooms. They have onsite security to manage the issue. Visit! Shop! Enjoy! And read more read more

Barnes & Noble - Anchorage - Books! - Cafes Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

Barnes and Noble is a hard place to write a review for. On one hand, it's an amazing bookstore with a ton of merchandise and enough stock to peruse for hours. On the other hand, it's a confusing, overpriced charade of a bookstore with more unrelated, trinket style fare than any real bookstore should contain. It's become a sort of boutique meets bookstore meets overpriced Hallmark. But I still love to peruse the shelves and feel a good ole fashioned novel in my hands. The reality is, whatever their sell price, Tidal Wave or Half.com is going to best it. BY A MILE. So if price is no matter or you have those gift cards burning a hole in your pocket or you gotta have a book NOW, go to B&N. Otherwise. Go somewhere else. read more

I'm not really a fan of B&N. I HATE the layout of this store. You can wander around endlessly and never find what you're looking for and they don't have nearly enough Customer Service people. There's also almost NO seating so you can browse in comfort. I miss Borders. Title Wave is by-far a much more fun bookstore. B&N has a very predictable selection of best-sellers, instead of all the wonderful surprises one might discover at Title Wave. Still they do have some items that other places don't. In particular, I like their selection of games, but their prices run a little high. 3 1/2 stars. read more

I used to like barns and noble but lately things have gone down hill the store in dirty and I can never find anything at the store tidal wave books is much nicer and clean and the people are nice and can even get store credit for books read more

Meghan at Barnes and nobles Starbucks: please work on your people skills. Thanks Dale for having great customer service skills. Because of YOU I'll be back. read more

Another quick stop on our stopover in Anchorage as we drove from Wrangell-St. Elias National Park to Kenai Fjords in June of 2019. I had done a LOT of reading in those backcountry cabins in Wrangell St-Elias and was only a third of the way through the trip when I read all the books I brought. Alas, a stop at Barnes and Noble was in order. I honestly don't remember exactly which book(s) I bought but they got the job done and held me over for the second third of the trip (another bookstore stop would happen once we got to Juneau). Good selection, just so unfortunate brick and mortar locations can't keep up with online pricing. Despite the price discrepancies, I always prefer a brick and mortar bookstore... read more

I always feel torn when coming here to look for a required book on school studies when my preferred place to purchase a book price-wise is just down the street or a brand new vinyl record when I can easily get it for less at a secondhand-store. This Barnes & Noble is located at the corner of Northern Lights and A St. in the old Longs Drugs location across from Pizza Hut. The bookstore is like any of the others nationwide with the familiar placement of the books by genres and the obligatory Starbucks café in one part of the store. The customer service by the employees has greatly improved over time on each visit with a majority of the friendly ones at the café always giving you a cheerful greeting. A huge turnaround from just a couple of years ago when employees in both the bookstore and café were cold and aloof. I was compelled to come in for another visit a few days ago when the store sent me a flier in the mail accompanied with two coupons for any item at 20% off just for being a Rewards card holder. The Rewards card costs $25.00 for the entire year. Normally, I shy away from programs like this mainly because of the annual fee, but I have to give credit for this store's inventory compared to the other places that sell second-hand merchandise. The study books available that are needed for my courses are the most up-to-date editions you can get compared to the older, obsolete versions at a used bookstore. Likewise, new vinyl records that have been released like the Game of Thrones Season 6 soundtrack or hard-to-find European imports of various musicians from both past and present can be found here. The extra Reward discount I got from every purchase in the store compounded with the 20% coupons that I received in the mail or online has made it hard for me to pass that up. I can also apply those discounts through online orders if the store currently doesn't carry it and can be shipped straight to my home with free postage. My most recent purchase involved a computer network security book I needed for my studies priced at $49.99. The extra 10% I got from the Rewards card in addition to the 20% brought it all the way down to $35.20. Another purchase I made was a vinyl record imported from Holland that was originally $35.99. That went all the way down to $25.92 after the applied discounts. The café itself is still a gamble when it comes to studying or available seating. Despite the friendliness of the employees and the short wait time for every order I've placed, this is not a recommended place for studying. The seating area is constantly filled with people and the noise level is higher here than in most coffee shops I've been to. Your best bet is to use the available tables and armchairs at the north end of the store where the noise is kept to a minimum. Outlets are available along the wall next to a couple of the tables here rather than sitting on a high stool at the long counter in the café where the outlets are lined directly underneath. Another thing of note is that this Starbucks is the only location that sells cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory, a popular restaurant franchise in the lower 48 that has yet to open a location here. There are pros and cons to this store especially where price and noisy crowds are concerned, but when taking advantage of the discount coupons on brand new items that I can't find anywhere else in town (including the cheesecake), it makes the shopping experience worthwhile. read more

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Barnes & Nobel in Anchorage has a great and accessible location in Anchorage. Unfortunately that also means it's accessible to populations that just hang out and aren't really there to shop at the store (ie homeless). The store seems to be dirty (it's getting older and is probably ready for a facelift). I find employees to be nice, and helpful when they are asked. It is nice to have this large of a bookstore to go browse in. We like to go there with coffee and have little dates to explore books, plan trips, look for new recipes, and think about new books to read together. It is a good option to have in Anchorage. read more

They barely even sell books here. It's been over taken by toys and accessories for nooks and sometimes I feel like I'm in hot topic. Having just come back from Portland where I spent a lot of time in Powell's Bookstore, it made me realize how much this 'book store' truly lacks. The selection within the categories I look for are a huge joke, they've certainly done the least when it comes to offering ANYTHING lgbtq friendly (the selection in books and magazines has significant dwindled over the years) And the cafe sucks in two ways: the people that work there look like they hate life consistently and act the same, and the coffee is subpar. Even Borders did way better than this. read more

wide variety of novels, all shapes and sizes. Genres are set up in a way that is easy to maneuver through. The girls working were all eager to help, and made the process even quicker. It was nice to sit in their cafe area, enjoying a coffee and a book while avoiding the rain. The baristas were overly friendly and efficient in keeping up with the business. I do find many of the books to be crazy expensive, but they have an awesome clearance section! read more

My review is not for the whole establishment but rather the men's bathroom. The toilets have no privacy. A gap in the 1st toilets door big enough to walk through & the handicap toilet has no door at all. The floor was very dirty so I'm assuming that the rest rooms weren't maintained well throughout the day. read more

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Whenever I am in the US or Canada I am always in awe of these bookstores. Especially since Borders is no more. Big, consumer driven an d intelligent and helpfull clerks. Whenever I buy something I always pick the one book that is a couple of books behind the first one. The other are allready well read. Especially the graphic novel section. Love the collection of magazines and the atmosphere. The one in Anchorage had a fireplace. Would welcome those stores in the Netherlands. But as everything is moving to the digital side, not very realistic. read more

Barnes & Noble - Anchorage - Cafes Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

The Starbucks in Barnes & Noble in Anchorage was very comfortable. After buying your favorite book, you can bring it here and read it while drinking coffee or other delicious beverages. These days, Barnes & Noble Booksellers began a promotion. When your book is purchased, you will get the receipt, and if you buy a cookie at this Starbucks, you will be able to get one more cookie. read more

I visited Barnes and Noble again today, since compared to Amazon of late, their prices and friendly service in the music department shines. I asked about the listening stations and was told that the company who had put them in had gone out of business. That's too bad. From that, I gathered that the decision to have them removed was not one made at store level, rather, it was something that had to be done due to unforeseen circumstances. I am so glad to still be able to buy cd's however! Barnes and Noble in store and online has a very nice selection and if the item is not available in store, they can order it for you for a far less shipping cost than Amazon. Barnes and Noble also has a wonderful selection of vinyl records which are so super cool to see again. I just knew my old turntable would come in handy again some day! Albeit pricey, maybe their selection of vinyl is the best in town? read more

I love coming here! This place is awesome. And it's not just books either, they sell music, movies, toys, magazines, coffee, and food. Highly recommend. read more

Your typical B&N like anywhere else in the lower 48. Super selection of books and magazines, and the wait to check out is rarely long. Occasional panhandlers in the parking lot, and in the coffee shop. Security guy in a suit is always around to kick them out, however. Coffee shop is a great place to hang out, it's my default office while in Anchorage... read more

Barnes & Noble - Anchorage - Cafes Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

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I always enjoy coming here. The fact that you can really lounge around and find the books you want or really anything, from music to magazines and self help books. I've never had an issue finding what I came in for and people are always eager to help. It makes it a perk that Starbucks is located in the store. read more

Do not go here if you are in a hurry! They move as fast as a kindergartener reads war and peace! Still friendly and the coffee's up to Starbucks standards. read more

I have to agree that the older employees can be quite snooty. What gets me is that I can't understand why. It's a book store...not an over priced fancy restaurant. They do have a huge selection of books...but that's also part of the problem. They have so many books it can be really difficult to find what you are looking for...and finding someone to help you find a particular book can be a challenge...finding someone that doesn't have to ask someone else for help is even more difficult...impossible in my experience. Maybe it's my fault because I tend to lean towards more specific books found in specialty stores. read more

First things first: I love book stores. Mom was a librarian. What can I say? That being stated, today I was almost ready to turn in / burn my B & N "Membership Card"! Was on our regular sojourn (grand daughter in tow) and had selected 10-15 books and a couple games($250 worth or so). Sparing you the minutiae, dear reader, I'll just cut to the quick. First, the table at Starbucks was filthy. We cleaned table ourselves and proceeded to enjoy our overpriced "snack" ($34). Did not bring items for purchase into dining area. Hence, placed them on a table outside the "coffee shop". Had some small talk while waiting for order and noticed items had vanished. Sent granddaughter to speak with the two "employees" standing 10' away (in the Nook) section . She was referred to another employee who indicated items were placed "behind the register". We finished our snack. Went to retrieve our items and they were gone. Evidentially re-shelved. Now we're talking only 25-30 minutes. Dealing with these employees, up to and including the "manager", was a refresher in how NOT to treat a customer. What was once a nice place, worth driving 30 miles to enjoy, has become much less of an attraction. Comfortable seating has been removed, employees (at least in vicinity of front entrance) look more like security goons, bathroom floor filthy...the manager of this store has lost his way. For the foreseeable future, this family will be turning to Amazon, and the iTunes store for these types of purchases...since the only product differentiation WAS customer service. read more

Generally it's hard to give a bookstore a bad review, but this store is an exception. I live about 50 miles away and looked online to confirm that a book that I wanted was in stock (it was). I had the option to order online and pick up at the store, but I figured that I would poke around the bookstore and buy the book I wanted in person. When I tried to buy the book, I was informed that the store doesn't honor online prices even though I could buy it online and pick it up at the store in hour or so later. On what planet does that make sense! The cashier tried to convince me that I should just pay the $26 instead of waiting an hour or two for the $10 price. Silly!!! Nonetheless I went to the parking lot and spent ten minutes ordering the book online. An hour later I received a message that my order was cancelled since the book was out of stock (note that I observed 2 copies on the shelf while I was in the store). Being a bit frustrated but calm, I returned to the store, grabbed a copy off the shelf, and preceded to ask for assistance from an employee. After inquiring about my online order, she told me that the book online (Gun Traders Guide - 39th edition - 608 pages) was different than the (608 page) Gun Traders Guide (39th edition) that was in my hand. Even the image online exactly matched the cover of the book in my hand! She called a manager to see if they could "match the price" but she wasn't much help. She told me that they could honor the $26 price but not the online price since it wasn't the same book. I told her that I would just order it online and she replied that I wouldn't be able to do that because zero copies were available. Well as soon as I got to my car, I ordered it online from Barnes and Noble. It arrives next week and it cost me an extra $5 for shipping. From now on, I will just order my books online and save the hassle. Terrible customer service. No one with common sense would have done this. The reason for the marked down price is because the book is replaced annually and is out of date...but the manager couldn't simply sell me the book for the online price. Twilight zone.... read more

Hmmm... four or five stars? Let me just give you some positives and negatives. + outstanding variety of bargain books - specific books not on sale can be spendy + just started a used book section (awesome!) - is not a small business (I like to buy from small businesses, whenever possible) + have a Starbucks (mmm) that honors the B&N membership 10% discount - can't think of any more negatives + nice Alaska section with nifty books, booklets and maps, oh my + neat games and puzzles, cards and many mags + comfy atmosphere - no one hassling you + did I mention the awesome selection of discount hard cover books? I sometimes leave with 5 books for $20, after membership discount on top - love it! Best sellers, too... not just books that have been there a millennia that no one wants. Okay, just one too many positives - this is a five-star! read more

I still like this place mainly because support for the Nook cannot be beat. It is nice to do business with a company that stands behind the products sold. I feel the coffee shop service has slowed down. Not that the people aren't good - there just isn't enough of them. read more

I'm actually surprised by the negative reviews here for the store. I've never had a problem with "snooty" employees, and personally I'd rather have an employee ask another employee if they don't know the answer to my question then A) shrug their shoulders at me, or B) lie to me and send me on a wild goose chase. I do wish they had some computer terminals for customer use that helped me find my book without bothering the staff, but eh, that's the corporate philosophy I guess. Yes, there are some homeless people that hang out in the store and the parking lot, especially during the winter months. This is because midtown has a high population of homeless, and the staff here aren't jerks and let them hang out as long as they aren't pan handling or bothering people. If that happens, a well dressed security guard will bounce them out politely within a few minutes. I read a lot, and unlike the smaller local bookstores, the staff here don't care if people browse as long as they don't trash the books. Metro across the street watch people like Soviet guards on the Berlin wall. Good selection, helpful staff, and a warm interior have made this my favorite bookstore, even though I live on the other side of town. read more

Loved the bookstore, it contained a vast assortment of oddities and a library of hard to find books, bestsellers, and classic. The only reason the rating is four stars is the lack of seating in the bookstore and the ineptness of the baristas. Because this is the only way to review the Starbucks that is part of the store...... Three out of three times my order was messed up. The problems ranged from waiting over five minutes for a hot chocolate to getting a Mocha without expresso. The baristas were nice but having to get my drink redone every time is too much. Recommend: bookstore, yes. Coffee shop, not so much. read more

I normally frequent my neighborhood bookstore in Benicia, Ca but when I am out of town in Anchorage, Ak I like to go here for new books for friends or family. Even though there were at least a HALF A MILLION last minute Christmas shoppers there (what? so I was a little late in shopping.....I'm not one of THEM lol!) everyone (workers and shoppers) was very polite. The staff was extremely helpful but not intrusive. They were kind and answered all my questions. Even though the weather outside was frightful the inside of the shop was delightful! Hmmm.....maybe I should use that in a song....... I enjoyed my time at Barnes & Noble, it was a warm, well lit place filled with happy people! I couldn't ask for a more fun time shopping! I will be back and I hope I see all of you there! read more

While I believe in buying used, especially books, I do enjoy the Barnes and Noble atmosphere. This book haven is located pretty much in the center of Anchorage. It provides not only walls and walls of various books of all sizes, but a cafe (equipped with Cheesecake Factory branded cheesecake, that's right, I'll repeat that again, Cheesecake Factory cheesecake), but a Barnes and Noble Jr., large music section and a quiet nooks just for reading. Throughout the year, the business offers many adult and kid events to include: author or musician meet and greets / signings, classes and story times. During the summer they even encourage elementary aged kids to complete a 'reading journal' and offering a free book of their choice. Even if reading isn't part of your daily or weekly ritual, this is a great calming place to just kickback and relax. read more

This is a review just for the cafe. It felt pretty miserable and cranky in there. Even the customers looked sour. Baristas were not very friendly and overworked. It just was yughh. Unpleasant! I'm also amazed that Starbucks-brand coffee could taste even more adulterated. This was really the nastiest coffee I've ever had. I couldn't get two sips in before I wanted to barf from the sugary overload. I'm patiently waiting for someone at my office to brew their secret stash of drip coffee, so I can sneak into the kitchen and pour out half of my cup just to fill it up with some regular joe. Maybe that will salvage this "latte." No matter how desperate I am for a coffee, I won't be coming here again. read more

I give this 5 starts because it's the largest single story Barnes and Noble I've ever been to. And because I love Barnes and Noble. And also because I spend an inappropriate amount of my lunch breaks here. Their comic book selection is large, which is important to me, and they have a pretty reasonable seating area, which, as par for the course, is always full of people talking much too loudly on their hands-free devices while everyone around them is trying to read the goddamn books in the goddamn book store. Which, PSA, is kinda like a library. Don't be a tool, people. If others are reading around you, and you just have to take that phone call, come on... Gtfo. But yeah... You can't beat this place. In state, anyway. I've seen way smaller B&Ns in much larger cities. So, props to this spot. read more

I haven't been to this bookstore in quite a while, and boy has it changed! I appreciate the great organization of the books, games, nooks, etc. Every genre is easily labeled and they have a plethera of books and board games and even some art supplies and home decor. I really like how they appeal to different needs but still keep the overall attitude that they are known for. Great place to find cute gifts and the coffee shop is nice too! read more

I had a huge problem. We scheduled our family vacation before I knew the day that the 7th Harry Potter Book was going to be released. I live in Miami, Florida and was going to be Anchorage, Alaska... how to make sure I would be able to get a copy without standing in lines on my vacation? I got on-line, found this Barnes & Noble in Anchorage, called them up, and reserved a copy for me to pick up at the bookstore. I had no problem months later when I showed up to pick up my book and my sanity and our family vacation was saved. Nice store with great customer service. read more

This is a reasonably sized Barnes compared to others I've been in. They have a good sized cafe seating area (which is almost non existent in some others). The staff at the cafe is always helpful and get you in and out quickly. Books? Oh yeah they have books too. A good selection of all categories. Go in looking for something seemingly abstract and they have a few options to choose from. Go in for something mainstream and they have tons. read more

Good selection of books, clean store, attentive staff, and a cafe makes this a great hangout spot for perusers and sippers. Open early and close late so this place is good for everyone. One sad thing to note is the declining section of the graphic novels. I'm a manga geek and I always would get the membership due to my buying the many books a year, but now it's down to like three because they aren't stocking all my series. I think I may not renew next year because of this and start buying them online... read more

This Starbucks I have always had great service from. I love the Barnes & Nobles the staff are very helpful. read more