Baldwin's Book Barn Reviews Summary

Book Selection and Availability

Pros:

• "They have TONS of books on every topic."
• "The book selection is endless."
• "Books on anything and everything. New, but tons and tons of old books, too."
• "Such a magical place for a book lover - you'll see books from the late 1800s stacked in with books from this past year."
• "This place has books on books on books. The whole barn is filled with books from floor to ceiling with four floors."
• "Every book you could ever imagine, 1,000’s over four floors."
• "Appeared to have some hard to find titles."

Cons:

• "Unless you like or are looking for really old books/war books/naval books you probably won’t find much here."
• "If you love old and niche books on hobbies or war then you may find something of interest but in general all books are overpriced."
• "The only books from the past two decades I saw was Harry Potter and Breaking Dawn."
• "I was looking for FICTION so not a lot here but this place has everything else."
• "Many of the books are ridiculously old and outdated."
• "Prices are outrageous. You can almost buy a new book for what they charge for used books."
• "Only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because ALL the books are dated."

Store Atmosphere and Design

Pros:

• "Like stepping into a time machine and landing in mid-century Brandywine."
• "Fantastic old building with lots of history and character filled with books at every turn you take."
• "The historic setting in a dairy barn adds to the charm."
• "Beautiful place with books, cozy spots that take you back in time."
• "The fire going in the winter, the creaky floorboards, the labyrinth-like rooms filled floor to ceiling with books... Please never change a thing."
• "It's like walking into a movie set. Amazing."
• "This place is simply a tapestry of books and literature."

Cons:

• "It can get pretty chilly on the upper levels in the winter."
• "It was super dusty everywhere and smelled of mold throughout."
• "The place is a bit dusty, fusty, there's old creaky stairs, creaky floors, low beams in doorways in places to get to the different floors."
• "We visited in August and the damn Book Barn isn't air conditioned."
• "Also those with serious bee allergies may need to watch the 4th floor which had a number of bees enjoying the roof lights."
• "The doors are relatively short, which means some might need to duck."
• "Getting up and down the narrow and steep Wooden stairs was tough."

Customer Service and Experience

Pros:

• "Easy parking and very accommodating staff."
• "Prices are super reasonable, staff is really nice."
• "The staff are very helpful."
• "The owner was super helpful and attentive."
• "The friendly proprietor completes a relaxed atmosphere of pleasurable learning!"
• "The management is beyond friendly and helpful."
• "Staff was so friendly and accommodating."

Cons:

• "This was the worst customer service I have ever encountered."
• "Employees seemed a little like they didn't want to be there and were not the most friendly."
• "The elderly woman working there is mannerless and unfriendly."
• "I will never return to this business and was very disappointed in her demeanor and total lack of customer service."
• "Then dismissed my inquiry to why he thought he had some...."
• "I now understand why they have bags and bags of books everywhere....won't be back!"
• "They are thieves and crooks, and I hope their business burns to the ground."

Accessibility and Comfort

Pros:

• "Lots of chairs to sit and read in."
• "Plenty of chairs set up for reading."
• "The barn itself is a gem. So many cubbies and reading nooks."
• "A huge variety of books, one could easily spend an afternoon here."
• "Nicely organized. Maps help you find what you're interested in."
• "Tip: take a headlamp for easier reading darker areas."
• "If you're not one to climb narrow stairs or navigate narrow passages, keep that in mind."

Cons:

• "It is not particularly handicap accessible but a call ahead informed us of that in advance."
• "As this used book store is inside a barn, I do not think it would be a good choice for someone who needs accessibility accommodations."
• "Please be aware that this barn is not handicapped accessible."
• "Multi level and lots of steps so access is an issue."
• "Just be extra careful when going up the stairs to each level. It is a bit steep."
• "For walking through the establishment he had to constantly look over your head so your head would not hit a wooden beam."
• "I guess the chairs are for decoration because I can't sit and read a book without the old lady telling me it's not a library."