For the love of the game: out-loving the competition.

• Author: Hall, Robert
• Position: Marketing Solutions - Column

It was the week before Christmas, and I had decided that several people on my list might be candidates for books. I must confess that I have gone through a long dry spell regarding my relationship with booksellers since my locally owned bookstore succumbed to the chains and on-line booksellers. What I really miss is that the people who worked in that store really loved books. You could go in and ask about a book and you would see their eyes light up as they responded out of pure affection for books--reading them, finding them, discussing them, ordering them. They were "into" books and it made the whole buying affair a real pleasure.

A new Barnes & Noble had opened recently in my neighborhood, replacing the chain's original store that seemed so interested in fancy coffee and store design and so disinterested in books. I was not prepared for what I experienced at the new rendition.

Welcomes you in: The second I entered the new store I could feel a difference from their former store--there was warmth and energy emanating from the dance of engaged workers and shoppers. The decor was nice but not overstated like their previous store--removing that stuffy, overdressed feeling. In the terminology of Malcolm Gladwell, it was love at first "blink."

Tells you what is new: Their displays were designed to communicate what was new. I first came to the large round display table that had new books on several levels so you could see a multitude of titles and categories. Then to the right, the listing of top new sellers by fiction and nonfiction. Directly behind the first display were two additional round displays organized by category (technology and so forth). A few steps further was the business section, and just inside it was a display of the new, promising business releases. I could scan and find what was new and then within a few steps get drawn into the guts of a category. A few more steps and I was at the center of the store, at the customer service desk. It was teeming with two or three service people inside a four-sided counter (with books displayed on the sides). They were being peppered with questions by shoppers. They were constantly in motion, taking customers to find books requested or suggested and then returning like ants coming back to the queen. As they returned they were continually asking shoppers, "Can I help you find anything?" It was just so well suited for shoppers seeking last-minute gifts. What was most impressive in this sea of...