Borders Books Music & Cafe

On its way out of business — mostly picked over, but there are still some good deals.

I know there is a lot of controversy with this Borders on St. Charles. I must say though that being a resident of this neighborhood I am happy that it is there. The Wifi alone is a great perk. The staff is pretty friendly and helpful enough if you ask them a question. They have a great magazine and newspaper selection, a decent little café, and plenty of room in the two story building for people to spread out. If I’m going to buy a book not off of Amazon, I try to purchase it from one of the local booksellers before I look here. However, books that I can’t readily find in those local book stores, like Garden District or Octavia, I can almost always find here. There are some bonuses to big business folks. As far as the building itself, it is a welcome fixture on the corner with a McDonald’s, Rite Aid, and Discount Zone gas. Border’s is a good place to kill a few hours perusing magazines or surfing the net with an overpriced cup of coffee.

I’ve heard all the complaints but this place is actually pretty enjoyable. In fact there is an amazingly sweet lady in the children’s section who is quickly becoming Seabass’ best friend

This is actually the only bookstore I could find and I HAD to have a book. It does fit in with the vibe of the neighborhood and the staff was kind and helpful.

This is one large bookstore. I like that the entranceway has those big white pillars, making it look like an old grand New Orleans home. The architecture just fits here and that is important if a chain bookstore is gonna move in to town.
Inside is sparklin new and filled with books. Magazines. And a Seattle’s Best coffee shop. The back houses a clearance section and there are always tables with reduced items or best seller list items. I like that I can snuggle up in a window seat upstairs and check out a purchase while watching the streetcar pass by. But I do believe that this Borders needs more comfy chairs. Yes yes a bookstore is not for pawing your way through all of the books before you buy them. But, taking a glance or reading one after you’ve purchased it in this nice setting would be good if there were more chairs.
There is free wifi and tables so you can get your work on. I’ve also never had a problem finding exactly what I’m looking for here. The staff are not always the most helpful– I saw one lady looking exasperated as staff asked if she needed help, she said yes, and then they walked away too busy to pay attention to her answer! But, it’s never been a big deal for me.
Finally, I’ve heard that this location was once a funeral home that had Jefferson Davis as a, umm, customer. Fun!

Dear big-​fancypants-​grown-​up-​Borders-​with-​free-​wifi,
You are way cooler than your Pennsylvania and Maryland cousins. You are less creepy and a lot more fun because you have free wifi! I love mooching your air-​conditioning as I scope out which books I’m going to buy from my local booksellers (ie, not you), and I really enjoy all your very hot employees.
I appreciate that you have a slightly morbid history, too.
Please continue offering free wifi, great ac, and cute girls to look at so I can make my shopping lists in happy peace.
lots of love,
–suzanne
PS: Accessibility notes: Completely accessible to mobility devices. Elevator and escalator accessible. No braille signage or menu (in the café area).

Are there a plethora of local and more amazing bookshops in this city that I patron? Yes; as should you. Maple Street, Octavia, Garden District to name a few.
However, Borders offers free internet and when I first moved to the LGD (lower garden district) cox had not set up my internet yet. Thus, my time at Borders. I could sit for hours in their chairs, read books and sip on coffee, and leave without actually buying any media. Borders does have a rewards program, and an extensive local section which helps redeem it in my mind. They also have a great international magazine selection that cannot be found elsewhere in the city. To find my French Vogue and British Harpar’s Bazzar and get free internet? I am very grateful.

Who knew a Borders could have such an interesting history? Occupying the old Bultman Funeral Home, which sources say embalmed Jefferson Davis, this Borders is historically beautiful from the outside and pristinely bright and clean within.
A two-​floor beast, this store definitely presents your best chance at finding that book, album, or thank you card you’ve been looking for. The coffee shop inside had plenty of seating that students and other patrons seemed to be eating up.
From the sounds of the other reviewers, this Borders has done a respectable job of protecting the history of this place while offering an expanded service to residents and even tourists in the area. Drop by and give it a shot!

From the outside, this is the most beautiful Borders I have ever seen. The architecture fits right into the lovely scheme of the Garden district, with tasteful columns and big trees hung with Mardi Gras beads in front.
The inside is more standard Borders, with a good but unspectacular selection of fiction and far too much Stephenie Meyers and Lauren Conrad on display. It’s a big bookstore, with two wide stories, and the feel is clean and updated. Overall, it isn’t one of the best bookstores I’ve been to, but the building sure is pretty.

This store is tiny compared to the Borders on the west coast! I see there is a lot of hating towards Borders in New Orleans. However, I enjoyed being in a store I’m used to and browsing for more books.
The café area is pretty large. Also, there is a huge music and DVD selection. They could probably make that area smaller and put more books in there.

I do not think you can have too many bookstores in a city. And this Borders on St. Charles is a much better alternative than more condos or fast food. For me, this Borders is for browsing, getting a beverage (try the red cane cola or the cocoa trio hot chocolate if you don’t like Seattle’s «Best» coffee), and sitting on the expansive porch with a book probably purchased at Dauphine Street books or another place that deals used goods. It’s a place to go on an evening when you don’t know what to do with yourself and TV sucks and a bar seems like a bad idea. So now I don’t EVER have to drive out to the B&N on Vets. jesus god that cursed parking lot by Applebees… I digress. I did actually try to purchase a book and cd at Borders, thinking I could get the last of my Christmas shopping done a few weeks ago, but they didn’t have either one that I was seeking, so I ended up at one of our friendly neighborhood joints anyway, after enjoying a red cane cola and reading the Gambit on the porch, pretending St. Charles Avenue was my own front yard.
Now if I was to buy stuff here it would probably be something I was too embarrassed to purchase at a smaller establishment, like that scary tap dancing exercise video for Mom. Or provocative Manga books for a friend – that section of the store looks pretty interesting. All in all, I don’t hate the funereal Borders.

As Douglas said, it is a 500 Ib. gorilla. They saved the façade of the funeral home that embalmed Jefferson Davis. I am happy someone wanted to open a business on St. Charles that wasn’t a bar or a restaurant. And, to clarify, Octavia Books is not ‘right around the corner’, but is close enough to worry. But, your service will win out, hands down. But, for those who don’t have to worry about parking, or looking for something to do that doesn’t involve drinking after six in the evening, this is a decent alternative.
Now, this isn’t my idea of a fantastic bookstore. Too much space is dedicated to crap: greeting cards, gift sets, wrapping paper, and that crappy coffee — Seattle’s Best. Seriously, you can’t get a contract with Tully’s fer cryin’ out loud? Upstairs — all that music foolishness! We need books, not electronics! Do you honestly think people are going to come here to buy a digital camera or burn a CD and pay $ 11 bucks to do so?

The 500lb gorilla has moved to town and has set up shop in the old Bultman Funeral Home at the corner of St. Charles and Louisiana in the Garden District.
The community seems pleased with the arrival of this elegant behemoth, with the exception of Tom Lowenburgh, owner of Octavia Books, an independent bookseller located right around the corner. He says that it is «a deliberate and predatory move» on the part of Borders against independent book stores.
I think it is a beautiful monstrosity. They kept the outside of the old funeral home intact and renovated the inside with concrete and steel to handle the weight and covered it with book shelves and big comfy chairs.
And then there’s the Seattle’s Best coffee shop with plenty of seating inside and out.
It’s gonna be great to not have to drive to Meterie to go to a great bookstore that’s open till 11pm Monday-​Saturday.
I don’t like big chains in quaint little authentic communal neighborhoods as much as the next OCD elitist hippie, but if they respect, and in this case compliment, the cultural diversity and architectural aesthetic of the neighborhood, while raising the quality of life and community, I think the welcoming committee should kiss their ass at high noon on main street.
In other words… «Welcome to the neighborhood Borders.»