Borders Books Music & Cafe

I hate to kick a business when its down (as in closing) but its a small wonder this company is going under given the prices in here. The wife and I went in to have a look around and they still had TONS of inventory left and no wonder. Their going out of business prices are substantially higher than the regular prices at Barnes & Noble down the block. Ridiculous.

Not impressed with this place. The only reason I would try it out every once and a while was because of their coupons that they sent to me every so often.
The last time though, they had a bent to crap book that I was hoping they would mark down and the manager got all snippy when she only offered 1.50 $ off and I told her I would find it online. Really 1.50 $ off a 16 $ book?
Sorry guys– not even your coupons can lure me back. I’m sticking with thriftbooks and amazon from here on out.

The best bookstore in town. It’s my favorite one to go to because it’s more friendlier than Barns & Noble, I think. Borders has just about any thing and everything that you could ever want in one place, except for video games and video game systems. I love that they have a rewards system that you can either pay for or have it for free. I like that every thing is so spread out in a big space like it is.

Good selection of books. I wish they had the help desk instead of the E center or whatever they call it.

Update: Nevermind! Borders in LV is closing, not Reno. Still closing a ton of stores in the Bay though…
— — — — — — — — — — —
We came here today because I was under the impression that they’ll have like, a HUGE SALE (for a closing I thought was happening) and we can raid the store for awesome books. Nope. Thank goodness!
Here is what I did:
–Wandered aimlessly, trying to find S.O.
–Being mad that there are so many shitty teen novels.
–Being more mad that they have like, 4 Redwall books out of a 20+ series by a beloved author who passed away last month. Then, not finding the Redwall cookbook (seriously, have you READ these?! You get hungry every time).
–Appreciating how clean the bathrooms are.
–Liking the fact that they don’t have a GIGANTIC part of their store dedicated to selling their e-​Kindle thingie (barnes & noble, I’m looking at you).
–Appreciating the cookbook section.
–Turning around or covering books by Palin, Beck, or any other right-​wing fucknut.
Good times. I bought a Mastering French Grammar and Vocabulary book so that I can pass my french class… despite having already taken french for 5 years.
Now if you’ll excuse me, my face is bleeding and I must go back to icing it. Reno and your dry air, dammit!

Free Wifi Free Wifi Free Wifi.
I come here for the free wifi. (just in case you missed it) And ya know, I’m not the only one. There have been times I’ve come in and not had a table available to work at so I’ve sat in a chair, laptop on my lap. (clever name). There aren’t power outlets near every seating area, so that can be a problem if your battery doesn’t have a lot of juice left and you have lot of work to do. I’ve had their wifi drop on me though, which is annoying.
Busy busy place, there are study groups happening here, and I’ve noticed one couple show up to play a ‘standing date’ of backgammon … it was cool to see the second person arrive and the board get opened and they settled right in to playing. I’m a big cribbage player so I liked the idea of going to the coffee shop to play.
Coffee is good and the people behind the counter have always struck me as exceptionally friendly — big plus in that department.
Books be books and this review isn’t about them. :)

Yes, you can get your books cheaper at Amazon. Yes, Barnes and Noble has a better selection. Yes, Sundance is locally-​owned. But it’s this particular Barnes and Noble that makes me feel comfortable. B&N has too many people (customers) clogging the aisles and the high shelves make me edgy. It’s also too darned noisy. Sundance is too small and not as accessible by bus. Borders has a nice, open floor plan and I don’t feel an overwhelming urge to punch other customers when I’m there. I like places where I don’t want to punch people.

Not only does Borders have awesome books, & a great selection, but they have plenty of other cool stuff. I got a whole bunch of stationary last time I went there, & I got a great deal. They have a respectable, clean store, & wonderful customer service.

Why pay jacked up retail when you can wait 2 weeks, and get the same new release books from an Amazon seller, backed by Amazon for ¹⁄₁₀ to ½ of the price Borders will charge? (Here I will shamelessly plug my review for Amazon
).
I have occasionally used this store as a browsing tool, or when I needed a gift right this minute. However, given the choice I’d rather skirt the huge crowds and support our local bookstores such as Sundance (yep, another review plug/​link
), than throw money down the corporate Maw.
Six months later, brand new editions of the leftover big coffee table books sold here can be picked up at Grassroots Books for $ 2-​$ 3 dollars (see my review of Grassroots:
– that’s right — more shameless plugging of my faves!).
While Grassroots is a warehouse, and Sundance hasn’t the space for tons of luxurious hanging out, This store is pleasant and clean, with nice little areas to congregate, or ooo and ahhh at all the purties they gots! This and some good coffee are how they suck you in!
Save scads of money, support local sellers (even if they’re local from somewhere else) and don’t let ‘em. Oh, wait a minute. I shouldn’t say that because if it weren’t for all the suckers paying way too much for their books, I wouldn’t get the great Amazon and Grassroots book deals.

Cannot say enough about the bargain section. I’m a book lover like no other and I could browse for days in Borders. And $ 4.99 hardback books? Priceless. The staff is always very friendly and helpful.

I love Borders, and there are several reasons why. First of all, I love books so I’m generally happy at any bookstore. What makes Borders stand out is atmosphere. I used to work at the Chevy’s that’s across the parking lot when I was just out of high school. Being broke, trying to pay for college, and working in one of the worst restaurants in town, it’s safe to say I could only afford books on occasion. So, right in the middle of winter my car breaks down. My roommate works at Chevy’s too, so I can get rides to and from work, but on most days his shift ends and hour or two after mine and I get stuck with two hours to kill in the freezing cold with no spare cash whatsoever.
Thank God for Borders! They have the awesome big plushy chairs where you can relax and read an entire book cover to cover without anyone bothering you or trying to ‘upsell’ you something. The coffee from their café actually is some of the best in town (excluding the hardcore coffeehouses like Java Jungle and Purple Bean), and their employees are that perfect blend of helpful and non-​confrontational. If I look lost and confused someone always comes over and offers to help me find something, but if I look like I know what I’m doing they just leave me alone to do it. I love that in a corporate retail establishment, because I’ve worked at a few and I know how much pressure most of them put on their employees to offer you a hundred different promotions while you’re in the store.
So, long story short, I am no longer a starving college student and I now spend a good deal of money on books. I’ll always buy at Borders because of how well they treated me when I was a broke-​ass kid who couldn’t afford to bring any of their products home with me. Thanks Borders.

I had to do something after my big payout on the roulette table. I needed something to keep me occupy for the weekend until my result after my March Madness weekend. So I decided to go to Borders and get a book to kill that weekend time… or else my big payout is gone.
This one-​level store is smaller than some of the San Francisco’s store and this Border’s have a caf serving Seattle’s Best coffee. But who cares… just get a damn book.
I bought David McCullough’s new book: John Adams. The 700 page book, which costs $ 30.00, is a man conquering the New England area on a horseback ride through the thirteen colonies.
That is one expensive book, but who cares after my hefty winning, it’s free!

Five stars for the kick-​ass magazine section alone. Coming from small town bookstores that can barely afford to keep a minimal inventory, I’m very appreciative of such selection. Plus the place feels less claustrophobic and cleaner than it’s bookstore neighbor/​competitor, B&N.
Faceless corporation it may be, but I don’t mind helping the local employees out with the occasional purchase during my infrequent trips to Reno.

I prefer shopping at Barnes and Noble; Husband prefers shopping at Borders. One thing that Borders really does better than B&N, though, is the café. I am always taken aback by the quality of my lattes at Borders – I guess because they are a big chain, I expect them to have mediocre coffee. But the barristas at Borders always churn out excellent lattes – perfect foam, good ration of espresso to milk. Plus, their baked goods are really tasty! On top of that, they also have a really nice seating area with a combination of comfy armchairs and sofas, group tables, and smaller work tables. The only thing that would make this café perfect is if they had free wireless (they are a T-​Mobile Hotspot).

I know, I know. Instead of giving my hard-​earned money to giant faceless corporations, I should be taking my business to small, locally owned stores. Well, too bad — I shop at Borders and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
Borders is close to where I live, so it’s easy to stop in just to check out what’s new. They have good displays at the front of the store for new fiction and nonfiction, new paperbacks, and sale tables (like their strangely addictive 3-​for-​2, which tries to trick you into buying three books you don’t really want BECAUSE ONE IS FREE).
Mainly, though, I like Borders because they have a large gift section as well. They’ve already started stocking 2007 calendars in July, so you can get a jump on Xmas shopping, if you’re that kind of person. They have a big selection of stationery, journals, notecards, and writing instruments — perfect for last-​minute gifts. There’s a good selection of beauty products, too, including one of the larger Burt’s Bees displays in town. And they’re the only purveyor of Paperchase products in Reno that I’ve found (good news for anyone who likes this inexpensive, cute UK stationery brand).
Naturally, there’s also the obligatory coffee bar in one corner, and I’ve always had good experiences there. The staff are friendly, cute, and they make pretty good coffee drinks — and if you pay attention to your receipt when you check out, there’s often a coupon on the bottom for a discounted or free beverage, so that’s a plus, too.
I’ll always buy the majority of my books/​movies/​music on Amazon, but for that rare occasion when I have to have something right away, Borders is a good place to go. Too bad their Border Rewards program is so sucky — I like the idea of 5% cashback at the end of the year, but their email coupons have gone into the toilet ever since they started the program. For a cheapskate like me, it’s all about who will give me the lowest price — and that’s usually
.