Alfie & Noa

Terrible place. You're not allowed to pick up a book, unless you're buying it. They followed my daughter around. You're not allowed to browse. Castle Towers should review their lease - and certainly not renew it. Show details

Only go to this store if you like being yelled at for browsing, not being able to go into areas because you might steal,( they block them off with tables, and like paying more than other places for books. I think they have a competition going on how… Read more

many customers they can drive away. Bonus points obviously if they can make a random child of a customer upset. I think the Lady is probably the reining champion and is intending to defend her title to the death!

I was recommended to read Customer reviews...and it did not disappoint! Do they allow takeaway coffee inside the store? I am planning ongoing there just to experience the "creepy layout" and "psychotic staff" second review to follow...thankyou fellow reviewers for the inspiration. :)

Walked into this shop to look for a book for my niece. First things first, the entry ways are blocked off and there is only one way in and out. I’m quite sure this is a violation of fire egress codes and the pathways are not wide enough for two people to pass, nor wheelchairs or prams. As I walk in there is an author for a book signing (no signage… Read more

to say who they even are) and the staff immediately go to my husband to ask him if he needs help. Taking this as just typical everyday misogyny. I wander over to the kids books which are not categorised and have no price tags listed.

There is a huge stock of one particular book haphazardly arranged in the shelf. I assume this is popular (or some weird over ordering) so I flick through it to assess if it’s right for my niece. Just as I go to send a photo to my sister to confirm, the staff member appears and says I can’t take photos and points to a sign. (Part of me thinks he was standing behind me the whole time like a creep). I explain I didn’t see the sign and was sending a photo to my sister to check if it’s the right book for my niece and I haven’t actually taken the photo yet. You’d think this was an honest mistake given it’s Christmas and I want to make sure I get the right thing (magic of Santa and all). This explanation apparently isn’t good enough and he rolls his eyes at me, and has a physical response so exaggerated, as though I’m just there to cause him trouble and says I cant take photos. There is zero understanding or ability to communicate why this is important to the store or offer help instead.

At this moment I realise this shop isn’t interested in being courteous to customers and likes to assume everyone has bad intentions, and all the other red flags I saw as I walked in immediately tell me to get the F out. Yes there is an epidemic of abuse to retail staff, but that’s not every customer. I toss the book back on a nearby shelf and proceed to walk out. Behind me I can hear a chorus of staff yelling at me not to “throw books” and telling me to stop, but the hostile environment and sudden lack of safety compels me to get out before they become aggressive. They try to follow me and my husband blocks (but doesn’t make contact) with the staff member to stop them from touching me. They then turn on him telling him off for me trying to escape a clearly dangerous situation that all of my body and soul was telling me to flee. I eventually make it out through their fire-hazard of an exit and walk away fast.

My husband catches up with me and tells me about their response. I felt bad as I thought, perhaps I overreacted and the silly season is getting to me. Over lunch the whole scenario is bothering me so much I decide to look up the reviews of this shop on Google, which then leads to Reddit, Trust Pilot and Facebook and I am immediately vindicated as I discover I am not the first customer they have treated this way and their behavior is so chronic, it has become known as the “Faulty Towers of book shops”. I was right to get the F out and not turn back.

Intimidating customers, stalking them and pressuring them to buy or get out. Their reputation is so poor, they like to delete any reviews they receive on review sites.

My message to the owners, rather than sticking your fingers in your ears and saying “lalalala” and blaming customers, just own up to the fact your customer service is awful and passive aggressive signs everywhere aren’t going to magically make people do what you THINK you want them to do. Maybe people are trying to tell you something. Maybe you need to do some basic customer service courses to learn how to endear yourself to the community so that your business doesn’t start loosing money and you don’t have to overcharge or bully customers into buying.

Part of me thinks they secretly work for Amazon and operate this way in order to intentionally ruin the reputation of book shops, or this is an elaborate front for something else and they actually don’t want to sell their books.

From the moment I entered, there were 2 staff at me with questions about what I wanted saying they can get me books because you aren’t allowed to just go in and browse. Wasn’t allowed to bring my pram inside, not that there’s any room to do so because everything is narrow and blocked off. The older woman accused my children of damaging the books… Read more

because 4yo was opening a kids book to look at it and 1.5yo was putting a book on the ground. The staff kept hounding me, at one point there were three people standing very close and started aggressively speaking to my son. When I became overwhelmed and went to leave, the lady called me “insane” and continued accusing me of damaging books. She was so aggressive to me and my son that he began crying. Not what a bookshop should be.

Another abused customer. What a subpar store. So rude and no access to see the books. You aren't allowed to browse decide what you might like I've sent a letter to centre management in disgust at allowing them to remain open, given the appalling reviews

Visited Alfie and Noa Bookstore (Castle Towers) to find a book for my teenager — the store was quiet and mostly empty. When I tried to browse and check book reviews on my phone, a staff member told me I wasn’t allowed to use my phone in the store and asked me to leave if I wanted to look up ratings myself. I’ve never experienced anything like this anywhere else — extremely rude and unwelcoming. Will not be returning. Show details

The bookstore from hell!!!! Spent a large amount of money at the store 4 days ago. Returned home to find damage to the cover of one of the books. Went back in today to exchange it and was refused with brazen lies about how the book is apparently sealed at sale. The guy picked up a new book to demonstrate his point only to show that there was no… Read more

seal on any of the new books. Yet he continued to point at the open cover, insisting there was a seal there. Apparently he thought I was either blind or st^pid. Not to mention, the books are wayyyyy overpriced - spent $80 over what Amazon is selling for. DO NOT GO TO THIS bookstore. They are complete crooks!!!!

Vocally Irrational People....... I had placed an order with this store for 3 books (I should have read the reviews before doing so) I was given an incorrect book they had given me 2 of the same book. When I returned to the store (same day)with my receipt and the books asking for the correct book the staff started yelling at me that it was the… Read more

correct book and for me to leave the store as I was blacklisted. All I asked was the correct book which I had ordered and prepaid. Great enticement for me to recommend this store to anyone ...Why would anyone want to shop there..

Avoid avoid avoid! This shop is the worst. I went in to browse the range of books for my 4yo and as soon as I touched a book, I was harassed to buy it. I refused and walked out. I’ll never step foot in there again. Plenty of people post online reviews about them but they always delete them. How are they still in business?

Only wish negative rating was possible, my rating would be -5. With the exception of the son, every assistant in the store is rude and boarder line psycho. They start harassing you as soon as you enter. Not sure if any of them have ever read a book or understand how people shop. Castle Towers would be better off without this store.

How has no one reviewed this horrific business?! Nothing short of horrendous service, the staff follow you around the store and demand you to buy a book. I'm a high school aged student but am legally an adult, however when I entered this store in my school uniform (mind you, with no bag on) I was being eyed incredibly suspiciously as though I was… Read more

about to steal books at any given moment. Also, they have signs EVERYWHERE saying 'no food or drink and kids under 14 must be supervised by an adult'....im sorry?!?! Its absurd. Also, I was at Castle Towers really early in the morning and they had amazon boxes out the front of their store. If you want to get harassed, head on over to alfie and noa! And report them to management! They must be rid of!

Don’t touch their books, don’t look at their books and under no circumstances bring your phone into the store. They will follow you around the store like you’re a thief and throw you out at the slightest…anything! The children’s section is… Read more

unobtainable, it’s closed off to the public. How are these people still in business?? Avoid like the plague. They’re in castle towers!!