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Categories: Books, Mags, Music and Video, Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: HollywoodMon-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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You know i've just gotten into spending a little bit of time in bookstores... and this place is top notch. The location is superb and the staff is super friendly. I like to go on a saturday afternoon and read a magazine, or skim through a book about sewing or any other book that jumps out at me. They have a coffee shop inside which serves non coffee items (i'm not a coffee fan) they serve fruity/ smoothie type things and hot cocoa - ohh so good on chilly days.
Sometimes it gets noisy with the other people discussing movie stars of the 1950's (i swear this group is here every weekend) or whatever comes up in conversation.... but there is this wonderful invention called an ipod which really helps block out those things and lets you get lost in your own little world.
Also if you have a pile of stuff employees, security guys all those people will come around and take what you've already read back for you! It's pretty standard but every time i'm still a little surprised and grateful...
I hate that this borders is even here...its the tiniest borders i have ever seen and its so crowded...
i came here when we were bored because we came early for the Brand New concert at the Palladium...it was so packed with books it looked like one good earthquake would do this place in...
and they don't have a bathroom...wtf? no bathroom? why the hell don't you have a bathroom? basically telling you to buy a book and get out...i'm glad their are other borders where i go to study and hang out...this one sucks...the only thing to do here is people watch and buy books i won't read...:(
In the grand scheme of things, Borders is pretty lame. I mean, you will almost always get a better deal on Amazon even if you are using the Borders Rewards coupons. If I had to choose between the two evils, I'd always go to a Borders instead of a Barnes and Noble because I am too much of an idiot to navigate through B&N and ever find anything. And I simply cannot tolerate buying things off of Amazon because I am impatient and figure the difference is a convenience charge.
Perhaps I am spoiled coming from San Francisco, where there are like, three Borders locations all within walking distance of one another downtown, supposedly the larger, multi-level location could be regarded as a flagship store. It is only since coming to Los Angeles that some sort of irksome realisation has come over me, and it's that LA simply does not like Star Trek. Really, come on, you have like, what, four Star Trek paperback novels out but like an entire case dedicated to Star Wars? What's up with that? And obviously the point of going to Borders is to forgo the waiting time when ordering crap off of Amazon, and it's completely nulled when you have to ask Borders to order something for you.. which in the case of this location is pretty much everything I've ever come here to get.
Chances are, even if you do find the book you came here for, it will somehow be lodged behind the genre sign on the highest shelf so you'll have to actually be on your tippy toes, trying to rearrange all the heavy hard cover books just to pry the one you want from behind the goddamn sign. Good luck actually finding an employee to help you as they are all off somewhere picking their noses and chatting it up with one another.
And they really, really try to push the Borders Rewards crap onto you. I've been a member since they introduced the service, but they constantly feel compelled to tell me just how much credit I've worked towards (which is basically nothing since I almost never purchase anything here) and other worthless statistics about my account. Good luck if you forgot your coupon, because even if you show them your card and explain that you know about the promotion, they still won't credit you which is total bollocks. Numerous times at SF locations, I've gone without prior knowledge of the weekend coupon and the employees will still scan the coupon they have right next to the register anyway.
Back in ye olden days, I recall they use to run their employees through a personality screening exam (I figure it's similar to the Oxford test, where either way you'll get a bad score, lol). I'm guessing they stopped doing that a while ago considering the type of service you experience at most Borders locations now a days. Sad.
Here is why I don't like you - Borders at Vine and Sunset. First of all, you don't have a bathroom because you think we're all homeless and we stink. Because you are on Vine and Sunset. That's not OUR fault. Okay moving on.
Let me talk about Seattle's Best - which apparently is owned by Starbucks and is inside this Borders. Cute little story.
One night I entered into this place after my children performed in the Lampshades (www.thelampshades) if you aren't familiar.
There were over 18 people sitting at tables on their laptops on this Saturday night. In fact, there was nowhere for me and Lily and Liam, my little live perfroming stars...to SIT, after a hard night's work.
So...I remarked (in a voice that was...okay, audible) that this was a COFFEE HOUSE and not a COMPUTER LAB.
I got a few dirty looks and a "SHHHH" to which I retorted that this was a COFFEE PLACE and not THE PUBLIC LIBRARY!!! I then went to the counter to place my order for hot chocolates for my offspring and a tripple cappucino for myself. At this time, I was approached by a small uniformed SECURITY GUARD who told me that some customers had complained. About me. "No problem sir. I was just confused. My children and I had no where to sit because of the LAP TOPS everywhere and the PEOPLE who have been on them for THREE HOURS."
The coffee wasn't even good. And so we stood there without seats while everyone wrote or googled away. And then we took the Metro home.
At least on the L.A. Metro you can ALWAYS get a seat.
Closing Comments: In the past, Coffee Houses were the place from where revolutions and overthrows and cous and anarchy movements and folk songs were sprung. Now they are hide-outs for people who don't want to be at home. Including me.
For all music lovers out there, if you got a problem about purchasing your music online, try this store Borders. The buying process is so easy and they have a wide collection of songs. They just not offer today's music trend but even the classic one. And even kids song for your children. I tried it and since then, I did not try any other online music store out there. All my friends used this site.
Walking in from Sunset and Vine, all I saw initially were DVDs and CDs. Woah, where are the books?
Well, past the gift wrap and the journals were lots of tall bookshelves. How some of them were arranged (especially the fiction books) made some cozy nooks. I didn't actually see the point of such high shelves though. I normally could reach even the highest shelf at other stores but these would require assistance to retrieve that oh-so-lovely book from the top shelf.
This store is a multi-level store, separated for a few steps. The other "floors" are much brighter and welcoming. There's a decent cook book section right next to the main registers. And a somewhat largish magazine section. I thought it was funny they did put some toys on the very top shelf next to the sci-fi books.
Overall, I suppose this might be a good store to stop by for a cup of coffee (Seattle's Best) and something to occupy your brain. I just didn't find anything that floated my boat yesterday.
Oh yes, don' t think because I am a DJ that I don't read. I love going to this place because they have a wide selection of books. I learned a lot about the music industry by reading a couple of books I purchased at this place. Some DJ's are stupid because they don't want to educate themselves when it comes to music. I mix plenty of genres of music together, to get a collective sound.
Walked in to use the bathroom on the way to Amoeba, walked out with a Harold and Maude dvd for $10. This Borders makes my weakness for bookstores clear because I never leave without something. My favorite purchase to date is Hemingway and Bailey's Bartending Guide to Great American Writers, which was sort of impossible to find at another brick and mortar bookshop anywhere close to me.
They always have coupons to make purchases of very unnecessary books and dvds seem too good a deal to pass up. I need to find another nearby public restroom go-to because this one will leave my credit card companies very happy and me buried in a pile of bills.
I love this Borders..books..Its a great place for me to meet up with friends,associates,,,for meetings..I love the wide selection of CDs..books..The patio that faces vine street is rather loud due to the traffic light..at the corner..Not to mention the exhaust from tail [pipes}..I love the great selection of tea's,juices to choose from..The staff are friendly..Its wonderful to find an enticing book...find a seat on the floor and drift into la la land...gigi
I do my best to buy from independent booksellers but every once in awhile something new comes out and I have to have it immediately, like the latest issue of "Bitch" or David Sedaris' most recent effort. When that urge comes upon me I head straight to the Hollywood Borders. The selection isn't huge but it's more than adequate and I almost always find what I'm looking for. Also, for being located in such a busy part of Hollywood, it's always relatively peaceful in there. Sure, you might encounter some rather "fragrant" local denizens but so what? Everyone needs to hang out somewhere.
The laidback and friendly attitude of the staff makes you feel like you're patronizing a less corporate establishment.
It's a a regular ol Borders, but with a ton of stationary and cards. I'd have to say the ratio of books to stationary to music is approximately 7:5:2. That's a lot for a bookstore. There were a lot of cards, none of them funny enough to send to Sarah B. Only the best for my LL. And as Emily O mentioned, there is a little cafe area, which was kind of nice.
Anyway, I hope this is my last "holy-cow-I-live-in-LA-now!" moment, but this Borders is right on the walk of fame and in view of the big letters on the hill. The juxtaposition (ooh, look at that five dollar word!) of classic lala land and a fairly familiar establishment is too much for my country bumpkin mind.
Also interesting is that while waiting for my friend, someone approached me with a clipboard. I have been that person with a clipboard all over NYC, so I am sympathetic, but then I spied the name L. Ron Hubbard all over the papers .... The guy just wanted to know which book cover I preferred, so if I get my way, you may see a new book by Hubbard with the brown cover and the bigger font.
The people are super helpful here, and even though they say they don't provide public restrooms, if you really have to go, they are kind enough to let you in. They have a huge selection of books and movies, and if they don't have what you are looking for, they happily order it for you. I got the complete collection of Grimm's fairy tales this weekend, I can say I am very happy with my purchase :D Only thing I don't like about this place, and maybe its just me, but its pretty hard to find what you are looking for if you dont want to ask someone for help. And the selves are huge, and they have books way up high. So like how do you get them?
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this Borders! It is the perfect size, none of that two story nonsense. I mean, come on, its a bookstore I get overwhelmed with just one wall of books top to bottom.
It also helps that this place is located in a kick ass little shopping center that enabled me to get a LOT of holiday shopping done in one trip. There is a Bed, Bath & Beyond (yea, I said it) and the incredible Hungry Cat Restaurant. I really need to review that place.
This place is really great to visit on Sundays when the Hollywood Farmer's Market is going on. You can park in the parking garage have coffee at one of the restaurants and go browse around for a while.
Ahhh yes, another Borders.
And this one is on Vine. It looked so out of place for some reason. Maybe I am just assuming club goers don't read. I'm so biased.
This location may be strange for me because as Emily O. pointed out, Amoeba music store is so close. I think most people should go there instead of paying up the whazzu of a full retail prices for these music CDs or DVDs. It really makes no sense for Borders to come up with a music section in the heart of Hollywood where other music stores would serve a better clientele.
The books sections have decent amount of selections to choose from. All I can remembered the last time was that Harry Potter rules the day. New selections were definitely worth the trip. It'll be hard to find the hard-to-get books.
Ho hum on the coffee section. I'm pretty sure you can get better coffee elsewhere. It's just not the place you would think of coming if you were going to Hollywood club areas. I guess this place has a purpose... still, I just can't figure out on why here in this area?
Walking distance from my place so that is a plus that I don't have to deal with parking. Though there are a few good places right there if you park at the Arclight or the garage behind Borders. So worth the couple of bucks it costs.
Border, hey it's corporate so they are all pretty much the same. The staff is pretty good and there is a somewhat outdoor area to sit and enjoy their coffee and read. Great place to kill time before your movie starts over at the Archlight or get a sip of coffee to keep you up for that movie your friends are dragging you to see.
Borders.
I have cheated on you with the LA Public Library.
Please forgive me...It will never happen again I swear..for now!
Ahh...I wish they had a Borders around my neck of the woods..i'd be there all day, if possible. So I make due with Hollywood's.
The greeters at the doors are always nice. And they have quite a collection and assortment of DVD's and CD's..more than any i've been to recently. I plan on being there for 30 minutes at best, and end up staying for a minimum of 3 hours.
Why?
The AMBIENCE!
It's in the middle of HOLLYWOOD and yet it's pretty quiet inside!
No kids running around (at least when I end up going), and best of all...
the coffee smell.
Books+coffee=match made in heaven.
Forewarning- I'm combining Borders and Seattle's Best for my review, because seriously... it's all part of the entire experience!!! I'll give props to Borders for the fact that no less than 15 minutes after I got in, some dude asked if I needed any help (but then again, I DID come in right after they opened). The little half-floor is cute, but not enough to warrant raves of their store. Their selection... I can't complain. But dangit, I will NOT give a place points for something they should already have! I have my standards, or some such nonsense. Now to Seattle's Best.... I used to work at one of these coffeeshops. I remember TRAINING for one of these coffeeshops. And I will tell you WHAT. It was annoying as all FCUK. Buuuuttt... it made me look forward to the day when I would be a customer and get this amazing OCD service experience that was expected. My apple tart warmed up perfectly with criss-crossed caramel syrup, my latte with all sorts of froo-froo garnish.... Let me tell you. I got NONE of this. My "warmed up" apple tart was still kind of cold and tasted like ass. My latte had no garnish whatsoever, and tasted like they steamed the milk for too long. I actually *gulp* found myself thinking about how Starbucks does it better... TRAGEDY!!!!!
So yeah. Rah Rah for this place having books, Boo Hoo for their Seattle's Best being an abyssmal failure. Or at least the goons that I dealt with.
I managed to kill about an hour and a half here, browsing through books and magazines. Business books, fiction, tons of magazines, and plenty of tables at the cafe to sort through the stuff before buying it. I walked into the cafe with about 8 books and 2 magazines... I browsed through them all and decided to get not one. In the meantime, I also was able to read through the latest Business 2.0 and Fast Company without actually buying either.
Seriously, though...I like that. I like having the opportunity to choose what I want to buy before doing so. I ended up picking up the latest book by Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club, called 'Rant.' I'm sure it's the kind of sick and twisted shit that'll keep me up at night, but I've got most of his books, so what the hell...
The staff seemed cool, funny, and down to earth, too. Now granted, maybe I've been trapped in the 818 way too long (I won't argue with you there!) but seriously... the staff reminded me of the people at Borders back in SF... Fresh, literate, with a sense of humor.
Very cool... come in here and spend a day feeding your brain!!!
It's a borders - pretty standard and a great location. It's in the Sunset/Vine complex with 5 stories or so of residential above it. It's so convenient to Amoeba that i can't imagine buying music here but if you are looking for books it's not a bad place at all. Chances are they will have what you are looking for, they have a decent newsstand with magazines you would expect in hollywood.
There is a Seattle's Best Coffee shop inside which has plenty of seating both inside and out and a few comfy chairs. They also serve sandwiches and the like that look alright but haven't had them so can't say for certain.
There is a lot where you can park - not sure if it's free with validation or discounted but it is a short walk away from the hollywood/vine subway stop so that is a good option. I'd recommend heading a bit farther east to patronize Skylight but if you are in a hurry this will do.
How can you not like Borders? It is one of those sights that is really comforting to someone who is constantly on the road. A place you can sit and read and forget about how you just drove all night and can't figure out what time zone to set your clock to... just like Wal-Mart's academic cousin. One of those places you hope for when you haven't had a decent cup of coffee or full night's sleep in months.
Reading. What a luxury when you are severely uncomfortable.
This borders has a big selection and is in the sunset strip mall, near kabuki, bed bath beyond, etc. It's not my favorite bookstore, but it's near work and gets the job done. It has a more... corporate feeling than other borders. Parking in the structure is validated for I think an hour.
Great place for books, a huge DVD selection and there's a Seattle's Best with an enclosed patio where you can smoke. The Seattle's Best specializes in lattes, although there isn't a lot of coffee in them. Might be the place for you if you'd prefer a little bit of espresso with your milk.
Everything you need in the way of media. But please try the carrot cake from the Seattle's Best inside. The best I have ever tried!
This Borders is TIIIIIINY and has a very limited selection. Parking in the garage is free with validation for an hour, but otherwise it's expensive... $2 for 20 minutes or something like that.
AND, I always get disoriented when I leave the garage on foot, and end up thinking I'm on Vine when I'm not, and then get confused when I can't see the Arclight or Ameoba and wander aimlessly around the outside of the building trying to find Baja Fresh and ok yeah I'll stop now........
Anyway, this Borders has a pretty small selection, and is just pretty small in general. But it gets the job done.
I like the is store bescause its big. The DVD and Music collection here is great considering that Amoeba Records is right down the street. They also have a cafe with a patio which is a nice place to wait for your friends to arrive before you go to the Arclight across the street.
borders like the same every place you go
thousands of books
thousands of movies
thousands of cds, well maybe not thousands
One of the better Borders locations in L.A. It's fun to shop for books while killing time before your movie at the Arclight. And the Walk of Fame is right outside, which is awesome.
I am usually out of my mind when I come to this Borders. Wait, scratch that, I've been out to the bars/restaurants nearby and then decide to look for an obscure magazine I need to find. It's not always here, but they have a nice magazine selection and a cute cafe area. I've met friends here for informal biz meetings and used to work down the street so it's familiar.
This Borders sits just across the street and down from the ArcLight and Amoeba. With a large cafe area this bookstore has the feel of a coffee house with a book store attached. It escapes me why people would buy music here with Amoeba so close, but this is definitely the place to meet friends and pick-up the latest best seller before heading over to one of Hollywood's other hot spots.
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