While we might wish that the general public sought out independently owned bookstores with more frequency, we can't blame readers for giving the nod to a giant like Barnes and Noble. It's obvious, however, that it wasn't chosen simply for its huge selection of books, as it isn't simply a bookstore. There's the music, the magazines, the journals, the knick-knacks-couldn't you just scream? Fave magazines-like The Believer and ReadyMade-are always available, and we love any shelf of books that towers over our heads. All things told, Barnes and Noble is a bookstore beyond compare. Or, wait, are we talking about Borders?
Runners up:
2. Borders Books Music Movies and Café, 5870 E. Broadway Blvd., 584-0111; 4235 N. Oracle Road, 292-1333
3. Antigone Books, 411 N. Fourth Ave., 792-3715