Alright ya'll, let's talk Barnes & Noble
And how inaccessible every building is.
I (used to) go to the one in Fargo North Dakota. I will never go to Barnes & Noble again.
The doors are wicked heavy. And open outwards.
They have 0 buttons
There is at least a 1/2 inch lip to the door frame.
Getting in the store requires you to be able to hold the door, break the initial opening of the door, wheel back, while also trying to hold the damn door open, while on an angle. The door becomes way too heavy, you can't approach the door head on because of that, you try to do a wheelie over the lip but you're on an angle. So instead you're now stuck half on half off the door frame. No longer able to hold the door open, stuck between the door and the frame, waiting for someone to help. And then you have to take a break in the entry way because you can't breathe from all that work.
Buttons are not necessary according to the ADA. I just know that nobody in a wheelchair was a part of the building process. Not one elderly person, or low vision people. The lip isn't even marked.
So I thought this would be a Fargo problem. I mean, its North Dakota.
But then I started doing some research.
I have found more stores with this set up than stores that are actually accessible.
I have found 2 stores with automatic doors
Ive been through Minnesota, Illinois, and now Kansas (for some reason). No Buttons. Lips. Heavy doors.
Even stores that have been altered when they move in, no Buttons. No smooth entry thats level with the ground.
I have a plan to go to Fargo and do some measurements.
This is absolute insanity. Even new builds don't have Buttons. Still have heavy wooden doors
How in the hell is this issue approached. How many people are missing out on going to the bookstore because they can't even get in?
At least they all say they're wheelchair accessible on their Google review page
🙄