There is a video below this explaining the whole thing, but basically Barnes and Noble Eastridge San Jose threw me out of their store for Elijah (11 months old) not wearing any shoes. By the way he can’t walk. They also accused me of stealing Plain Kate from their back room, and the comped me the book I accidentally stole leaving in a flurry of shopping bags and shame.
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By: Tara (@tarawriter)
Ugh-how infuriating! If I were you, I’d return the Nook-I’d never want to give B&N my money again!
Sorry you and your son had to go through that!
By: Katy (@afewmorepages)
Pam, what a nightmare! The woman that assumed that you stole the ARC and the Nook totally sucks. I can’t believe she took your Nook while you weren’t looking. I would feel the same way and would not want to go back there again either.
By: Amanda (@pookasluagh)
Wow. That’s just outrageous, Pam.
By: Pam
I gave them a card and told them to check the blog in two hours LOL.
By: Rain
GO PAM!
I abhor poor customer service.
WTF is wrong with that dept. manager?
Was it so difficult to just say to you “please be careful the carpet isn’t swept daily”.
Instead she loses a great customer and now ha! has put her stores reputation on the chopping block.
If I were her store manager I would have fired her on the spot!
By: Pam
LOL Rain, you know I threw a fit right? Elijah was having so much fun for a full 30 seconds.
By: bermudaonion (Kathy) (@bermudaonion)
Wow, what a story! Here in the South kids rarely wear shoes before they can walk, so you see barefoot children everywhere you go.
By: MelissaW (@balletbookworm)
i apologize on behalf of the booksellers who aren’t complete morons. :(
By: Pam
Kathy, I am from the South, maybe it’s weird here to have barefoot babies…
Melissa, Thanks lol you crack me up.
By: Jenn
OMG that’s NUTS!!!! :(
By: BookChic (@bookchicclub)
That is crazy! I can’t believe that. I guess I won’t be bringing any ARC of mine to my B&N to read if they’re gonna act like that, lol.
I had my own story from a while back about B&N and I vlogged about it too. I used to take pictures of books “out in the wild” (so to speak) and you know, just the cover or maybe a display so I could show the author and be like “Look! Your book is out in a store not near you!” and one of the employees came and asked me to not take pictures as it was against store policy. Which makes no sense since you’re allowed to take pictures at events there and also it’s not like I was taking pictures of actual pages. It was just infuriating and a bit embarassing too.
By: tina
sheesh Pam, what an idiot manager and employee, totally stupid
By: pussreboots (@pussreboots)
My pediatrician (who is a Californian) recommended keeping my children out of shoes until they started walking. Shoes can hinder the development of their feet. Write a letter to B&N corporate.
By: Vasilly (@Vasilly)
What a horrible experience! The employee didn’t even think to wonder how could you have gotten into the back room, found the ARC, and got out without anyone seeing you. I hope she’s fired. There are better ways of handling your situation such as striking up a conversation with you first. She could have asked for a business card and once she saw you were legit, went to the back and found you a hardback copy of the book you wanted. But to steal your Nook and kick you out is b.s.
By: Pam
Sarah (pussreboots) That is the exact reason Elijah has no shoes.
Natasha (Vasilly) she wasn’t quiet about it either so embarrassing.
By: Mrs. DeRaps
That’s why I love independent bookstores. More personal. Less weird corporate BS. Yuck.
By: Kailana
They kicked you out for no shoes on an 11 month old? That’s just crazy. I had to laugh at it being because they don’t vacuum everyday. I don’t even get how that makes any difference when a child can’t even walk, but anyways! It all just sounds really random to me… It will make for a great story, though once it fades into a more distant memory… lol
By: Kristen (@bookgoil)
UGH! I hate to say this cause I’m sure some chains are great – but I do not go to B&N because I learned early on how superior their employees feel. Borders gives you better coupons, generally has more authors that come to their stores, and overall has a friendlier staff. I do prefer my indie store Andersons – but I go to Borders a lot when I have coupons – their Teen section seems to be much better than B&N too.
But ugh, I would be madder than you! They stole your NOOK!!! What the hell! They didn’t even have the guts to ask you if that was yours… and have them show you you had books on there. Lame. I swear B&N has the worst staffs ever. They must train them to be horrible ppl or something.
By: Monica (@bibliophilicboo)
I can’t even image how embarrased you must have been with this crazy employee kicking you out for no damn reason. *sigh* I wish people wouldn’t jump to conclusions and I wish people would be more considerate of others…and I am rambling…because I am frustrated for you.
I am sorry you had such a horrible experience, I am glad you VLOGed about this and I say you email the VLOG to the company contact. That is ridiculous and they should know about your mistreatment.
By: Debbie's World of Books (@debworldofbooks)
Wow, that is crazy! I would have gone back to the store and confronted that sales person in the middle of the store about her being a thief and stealing your Nook. Let her be embarrassed in front of everyone and see ow it feels. I’m just vindictive like that :)
By: pussreboots (@pussreboots)
Sometime when you’re in my neck of the woods, I’ll take you to Jordan’s Books, a great independent in Castro Valley. Kid friendly too. They give kids stickers when you buy your books.
By: Emily's Reading Room (@emsreadingroom)
Um… WHAT?! They took your nook? Anytime I’m in a library or store with an ARC, the employees are always really cool about it. I have never once had one think that I had stolen it.
I would definitely be writing a letter to corporate. I hope you got the name of the employee.
By: April (Books&Wine) (@booksandwine)
WTF, why on earth would you steal an ARC? If anything you should steal a finished copy.
We don’t have B&N in my town, but wow, how terrible. Also, as an employee she should be aware of book blogs. DUH. What a terrible understanding of the industry.
Also, they should have comped you with more than a book and a gift card too right? Also, as someone who did a stint in retail hell, you NEVER ever EVER ever EVER accuse the customer of stealing unless you see it. Yes, people do make off with stuff. But basic loss prevention states, you get a legit manager if and only if you see it, otherwise, it didn’t happen.
By: Rebecca Herman (@rebeccamherman)
Wow, that’s crazy!! I once took an ARC from BEA to read at my local B&N because our power went out and I was bored and the story was nice and air conditioned and had power. No one accused me of stealing it! Oh and I live in the Northeast and no one puts shoes on babies too young to walk here in the summer – of course we need them in winter because it’s freezing! But my niece is always barefoot (11 months old too) and I’ve gone to plenty of stores and restaurants with her and my sister and no one has said anything. I would put in a complaint with the corporation because it’s honestly HORRIBLE how they treated you.
By: Karenlibrarian
That’s appalling. Amanda from The Zen Leaf told me about this yesterday and it makes me so mad! (Especially because I just placed an order with B&N.com, which cost me $10 more than Amazon, just so I could try and help keep them in business since I know they’re in trouble). That children’s manager should be fired, since she’s the thief, not you!! Please send a letter and a link to this vlog to the B&N corporate office. This was so wrong.
By: Lahni
My baby who doesn’t walk never wears shoes either. I can’t believe they asked you to leave because of that!
By: Kate at Read This Book! (@readingthisbook)
Oh. My. God. They took your nook?! That is absolutely ridiculous! Boycott them for eternity!
@Book Chic Happened to me more than once! They’d always tell me that no photography was allowed but screw them! :)
By: Susan Robertson (@wastepaperprose)
Oh Em Gee! I am so sorry that happened to you. It sounds like it was quite an ordeal and I hope that you wrote someone above that manager. I really would not have let it stop at the store level.