Neighbor News
Write Around Tampa
* Your weekly guide to the best places to park (it) and write in the Bay Area *
Barnes & Noble
13123 N Dale Mabry Hwy
Tampa
I waited eight long months for the grand opening of this B&N. I went last week just as someone who wanted to be there when they opened their doors. It is completely different from the old location. Brightly lit, scattered displays. It was jarring. Today I’m giving it a chance as a writing location, which so far isn’t without first week aches and pains: the bathrooms are broken so they can’t sell food or drink in the café unless it’s packaged or bottled. Luckily I always come prepared with my own bottle of water, some yogurt, cucumber salad, nuts and other snacks. Practically all seats were taken, but one opened up quickly, a nice little four-seater. Here’s how it all went down:
Quality and pricing of food and drink:
It’s a Barnes & Noble, so Starbucks coffee and drinks, with Starbucks prices. Not too bad, especially if you have a B&N membership, which I do. Same delicious pastries and cakes, sandwiches, the feta and spinach pretzel (oh how I want a feta and spinach pretzel).
Find out what's happening in Carrollwood-Northdalefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Are there enough outlets?
Yes! This one has more outlets than the old location, which only had two. Now you can plug in at over 75% of the seats.
How’s the wifi?
Great wifi, open, you just have to agree to their terms and conditions.
Find out what's happening in Carrollwood-Northdalefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Will my muse come out?
Immediately. I was worried about her under all this harsh lighting, modern seating, and displacement. But it’s still a B&N café and it’s magical and still one of the best places to work, write, do puzzle books, eat and gather with friends. And read. Don’t forget read.
How long can I park it?
From open to close, which because of the grand opening is 9am to 10pm. Don’t know how long these magical hours will last so get ‘em while you can. They could be open 24 hours; it still wouldn’t be enough.
Final rating: 5 of 5 laptops
Rachel Remick’s fiction and non-fiction stories have appeared in various magazines, among them Rosebud, Bluestem and ellipsis . . . literature and art. A frequent contributor to women’s magazine Sasee, her writing has also been published in several volumes of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books. She lives in Tampa, Florida.