Virginia Highland Books — Local services in Atlanta

This store is fine, but it's not one I'll frequent much. The location is wonderful in a neighborhood we love. The layout of the store is fun and we had a great time looking around. However, the history and biography sections are very small.

The biggest issue is the price of the books. I found a book I wanted, but it was $21 more expensive there than on Amazon. I realize Amazon has greater purchasing power and can afford much smaller margins than a local bookstore, and I've always been willing to pay more for something to support a local business, but not that much. I asked one of the representatives if there was anything she could do about the price. She recited a stock line about, "Amazon takes losses on books to get customers onto their site, small book stores have to charge full price." I told her I realized that, but could she do anything to help with the price so they still made money, but the price was more competitive. She recited the exact same line to me about Amazon again. To be fair, she offered to help me order a cheaper paperback copy of the book, but that's not...

exactly the kind of cute local bookstore atlanta needed

update 4/24: every time i stop by, i’m very pleasantly surprised and impressed with the effort in curation. this store has the best selection of international/translated fiction in the atlanta area (unless you’re shopping at Barnes and noble Buckhead, maybe, since that’s such a huge store).

some of the reviews complain that the staff aren’t friendly but i honestly appreciate that they mostly sit behind the registers and only talk to you if you need help or want a recommendation (in which case they’re always friendly). i hate it when you can’t even read book covers at a bookstore because the employees are hovering over your shoulder…

they have displays that cater to everyone! whether you love pretentious prose-y reads, award-winners, romance, sci-fi/fantasy, etc.! and the staff have a pretty wide variety of recommendations. the selection outside of the displays is also pretty good, probably the best from local bookstores...

I was very interested in the store. It looked really cool in the pictures. When I walked in no one acknowledged me at all. Nothing. When the next person walked in somehow they got to be acknowledged.

When I asked a question about the book prices. They answered but then proceeded to loudly whisper about how I started screaming? I guess my question was too loud?? Either way I thought the workers were rude. Dismissive and I wouldn’t recommend shopping here.

I don’t want to make any accusations. But I am a young black female and maybe that had something to do with it.

Either way if I could give it less than 1...