Warwick's has been around for over a century, and they have the attitude to go along with that…read morestoried history. While the bookstore itself has a decent & varied selection of new books, and they'll order any book for you that they don't have, it is not the most pleasant place to shop. As a bibliophile and an English teacher, I really want to like and support Warwick's, but unfortunately, they've treated me poorly on multiple occasions which makes it challenging for me to give them more chances.
There are many book sellers & employees, but they are not very helpful and they treat you like an inconvenience or worse. The right side of the store is book-centric while the left side of the store is mostly stationery & cards, writing utensils, gift items, and tchotchkes.
Today, I purchased a book and a pen refill with a credit that I had at the store. I requested the pen refill from one counter, and I had to go to the book counter to pay for my book. Instead of giving me the refill so I could bring it over to the book counter and pay for both items with my credit, the employee brought the refill over herself and told a 2nd employee while pointing at me that, "that woman over there is also getting this pen refill along with her book." Then the 2nd employee handed the refill to a 3rd employee who stashed it behind the counter while I waited for my turn to pay. Keep in mind that the pen refill was a mere $6 item but they treated it like a precious gem that would surely compel me, if I held it in my own hands, to run out of the store with it without paying for it.
Meanwhile, I'm holding the much pricier book that I'm going to purchase in my hands, but I rapidly felt like turning on my heels and vacating the store, and leaving the book behind, of course, because that moment was just so strange and uncomfortable.
Over the past ten years, I have regularly patronized this store and I've purchased items here multiple times per year. However, there is no recognition, no friendliness, nothing to indicate that I'm more than just a tourist popping in on vacation. At the very least, a friendly greeting would do, but no such luck. Every time I cross the threshold, I feel a wall of snootiness that is just unpleasant and takes away from what could be a lovely shopping experience.
As I'm sure you've figured out by now, items are definitely on the pricey side here. You can certainly find a better value and probably way friendlier service at other bookstores outside of LJ.
I think Warwick's probably provides a different type of shopping experience for patrons depending on who the employees perceive them to be, even if they are way off the mark. C'est la vie. Just know that if you are a POC and you shop here, you may have an unpleasant experience, but I certainly hope that you don't!
Peace.