Ok…those of you who have been following me know that I am a lover of books. Words wonder me and I have experienced many adventures and deep friendships inside the pages of a book.
Now, what you may not know is that I loved books so much (my dream job was to be a published children’s author) that I went to work for Barnes&Noble Books as their Customer Relations Manager for the DC area. I loved that job!
That was about thirteen years ago.
A week or so ago, Khari and I were in Georgetown for a date night and as we were walking towards one of my favorite Barnes & Nobles in the area I stopped short. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Instead of seeing the green sign – I saw Amazon Books. I stood, frozen across the street and I was in shock. I was also confused. Amazon has an actual store…that is selling books…in the same location that Barnes & Nobles used to be…
It was too much.
I didn’t want to go in. I felt like I was betraying a dear friend. But hubby wanted to take a peek inside, so I yielded but vowed I would not like whatever they had going on in there.
And…well the space surely felt different. It was very modern and tech-y (perfect for Khari).

I walked around, silently. Looking with only my eyes at first. The layout was smart – efficient. Khari was drawn to the gadgets that were nicely displaced table-top style so folks could play with them. Me, I was drawn to the book shelves.
I must say I love the way the books were organized. All the books face out to the customer and came with a Customer Review card. I really liked that.
The kid’s section was kind of mixed in with the rest of the store downstairs. It wasn’t separated like Barnes & Noble. And although they have a stage, it is nothing like the decor of Barnes & Nobles. Even now as an adult, I love going into the children’s section with my stack of books and coffee and sit myself in a nook under the magical tree.
It is a new land inside Amazon Books. I guess I helped get them there. I am a prime member and I do most of my book purchases (and everything else purchases) online because, well it is easy.
After I got home I looked up Barnes & Noble closings and was shocked to discover that 197 stores would be closed by 2022. So sad.
If you haven’t been to an Amazon Bookstore yet, I am sure there is one near you. A word of advice – don’t bring cash, they don’t take it, everything is through the app. If you are not a prime member, you will be when you leave.
Well, I guess there is a season for everything, and I guess this is the season of Amazon...for better or for worst.
Until next time,
Stay Encouraged & Be Blessed!
Wow, I’m actually sad to hear this. Can’t we coexist, lol? I’m trying to figure out if this is the same feeling that I had when most of the Little Ceasers in PG county closed their doors.
LikeLike
I remember the Little Ceasers in PG! My mom was devastated when the one in Rivertown shut down. That was her Friday night dinner plan for years!
LikeLike
Thanks for the review of the Barnes and Nobles Georgetown location; it was very complete. Based upon your description, I am looking forward to visiting the store and cashless shopping..
LikeLike
Wow. Thanks for the info.
LikeLike