Gary L.
Yelp
Not too shabby for a replacement of Barnes and Noble. Did I like Barnes and Noble? Sure I did but let's be honest, for years, B&N was nothing more than a public restroom to most goers on Austin Street. There was barely ever a line at the register, teenagers would flock around the graphic novel section, hoard up the aisles and treat the bookstore as if it was a public library which it was to some degree. With Target as the new guys on the block, I think they are finding much more success than B&N has in the last 10 years. The checkout process is much easier with their self checkout registers. Hardly anyone uses them which I love because I can skip the entire line.
The lower level consist mostly of apparel, exercise equipment, office/school supplies, some small kitchen appliances, bed and bath, and a clearance section. The upper level has electronics, toys, makeup, soap/shampoo, food, and a CVS pharmacy. What I found the most surprising was their clearance shelf. I purchased a 6 person Coleman tent for $49.99! original price was $100, 50% off, not too bad. I pealed back the clearance sticker and the first clearance sticker was priced at $69.99. I was quite pleased with this purchase because I am planning a family camping trip hopefully sometime next year.
Verdict - I loved the old Barnes and Nobles for many reasons back in the day. It was just a great spot to kill time before a movie, reading up on current car magazines and flipping through cook books. It was an ideal spot for book lovers but over time, there were just less and less book buyers. Everything is made available online through amazon or digital copy. In present time, I just find Target much more useful and convenient than B&N on Austin Street. The Starbucks is still there and TGIFridays recently renovated. I think the future of Austin Street is heading into the right direction.