by: Siyona Singhal

Humor Editor

The newest addition to Los Gatos downtown, Barnes and Noble, feels like a breath of calm in the middle of the town’s constant motion. As soon as you walk through the doors, the noise of traffic and chatter fades, replaced by the soft rustle of pages and the steady hum of quiet conversation. 

Store Manager Alondra Alfaro explained that this specific Barnes and Noble is smaller than others, creating a few challenges: “We’ve had to make difficult decisions regarding what we will carry in store. While we can order books that are available in our system for customers, we don’t have certain sections like test-prep or language learning. We also don’t have magazines or a cafe; our small size wasn’t enough to accommodate them.” Despite these setbacks, Alfaro expressed that the community has been very welcoming, and people seem very enthusiastic about the new store. She commented, “My favorite part about working at this location is the people and the dogs. Everyone has been lovely, and we definitely feel as if we’ve been embraced by the community. We’re just book people who are very excited to meet other book people. All the conversations, meeting new people, meeting all the dogs; it has all been wonderful.”

Regarding the store’s design, Alfaro noted that the modular layout of the store is her favorite feature. The store contains new types of bookshelves that, as she pointed out, “make it so much easier for us to make changes and merchandise our products.” Alfaro also highlighted the whole wall dedicated to local books, even featuring novels by Lemony Snicket, who lives in San Francisco, and John Steinbeck, who wrote part of The Grapes of Wrath in Los Gatos. Alfaro commented, “There are a surprising number and variety of authors that have a connection to our area, so we wanted to highlight that.”

In the future, Alfaro hopes to hold many book signings, already having held a few: “We had Gene Luen Yang (author of American Born Chinese) do our ribbon cutting and do a signing on our opening day. We also had Ann Liang (author of A Song to Drown Rivers, our fantasy pick of the month) do a signing that day. We have a few more signings planned for the next couple of weeks as well.” However, she explained that the store is limited in the types of events it can host due to its small size and will therefore likely not be able to accommodate lessons, talks, or presentations. 

This new Barnes & Noble feels like a reminder of why bookstores matter. It’s not just about buying books; it’s about being around them, about being part of something slower and more human in a world that’s constantly speeding up. It’s a place to pause, to think, to discover something new. Whether you come to browse, read, or just exist among stories, the downtown Barnes & Noble offers a simple kind of magic, one that invites you to stay, wander, and maybe, for a little while, forget about everything outside its walls.

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