Barnes & Noble

I’ve lived my entire life in and around bookstores, and I'm an indie and used bookstore loyalist… but I have to give credit where it’s due: the Barnes & Noble at 90th & Shea is doing it right. It feels less like the old corporate template and more like a real neighborhood store again: bright, well-curated, with staff who actually know the shelves and want to help. I often work in the cafe, my kids study there, and it’s become one of those rare third spaces in Scottsdale that just works. The space is welcoming, bookish, and alive in a way big chains used to forget. I love what many Barnes & Noble stores nationwide have been doing lately, and this one is tops among them. Excellent store, solid vibe — truly part of our community.

I have yet to find a bookstore in which I was disappointed. I could spend the entire day in Barnes and Noble (I actually did once… I lost track of time and before I knew it they were about to close). Anyways, I don't think anyone is going to read this review and I doubt that anyone is unsure of what to expect from a chain store type of establishment, but this Barnes and Noble location is excellent. They have a Starbucks inside and a great selection of items other than books as well. Pretty much anything you can think of; paper goods, journals, toys, games, lots of gift items, reading accessories, movies and TV shows on DVD and Blu-ray (not as large a selection as they once had, but that's hardly a surprise). Also music, magazines, a good bargain section and they have in-store events and book signings etc. The staff is helpful and polite. The store is clean and the parking is easy.n*Updated September 2025nNo changes to my last review.n*And updated again for December 2025* Nothing to add except for a bunch of photos. I could spend all day here and probably longer. I 💕 love all things book related 📖😍

Great store and very friendly staff. The bathrooms were really clean and the store is quite spacious with a large variety of items to choose from. I like their leather journal section, plenty of options!

This is an older Barnes& Noble but it's still so quaint and so comfortable. The employees are pleasant and nice and offer to help and they see you. The cafe is nice and open. Plenty of tables. Good selection of books. It's not a very large bookstore in comparison to the newer ones, but it's still really nice.

What a nice experience it was going back to this amazing book, magazine, gift store. In the age of Amazon I forgot how nice it can be to actually go into a nice store and take in the colors, the smell the ambiance of reality. Thousands of books and magazines to catch your eye. A Starbucks if you need coffee or a treat. Helpful 'marketers' roaming around to guide you to your interests.nnI really enjoyed my visit here. Parking was easy. Clientele were polite. Five stars all the way.