- Barnes & Noble plans to open at least 60 new stores in 2025.
- The bookseller credits the virality of TikTok book content, also known as "BookTok," for its growth.
- Its Starbucks cafés have also drawn customers as a space for gathering and socializing.
Barnes & Noble is planning to open at least 60 new stores in 2025 — a stunning turnaround for a bookseller that just a few years ago closed hundreds of locations and appeared doomed to follow in the footsteps of its shuttered former competitors.
Barnes & Noble opened 57 new locations in 2024 and operates around 600 stores in total, making it the largest bookseller in the US.
The hedge fund Elliott Advisors bought out Barnes & Noble for $638 million in 2019. James Daunt, CEO of the British bookstore chain Waterstones, was named the new CEO.
Despite store closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Barnes & Noble's sales surged above their pre-pandemic levels as people turned to reading out of boredom and nostalgia.
In recent years, the bookseller has also leaned into the popularity of book content on TikTok and the post-pandemic thirst for "third spaces" to meet and socialize.
I visited a Barnes & Noble store to see the bookseller's strategies in action.
In February, I visited a Barnes & Noble store in Clifton, New Jersey.
The store was located at Clifton Commons, a 335,000-square-foot shopping center that also features a Target, an AMC movie theater, and a Burlington Coat Factory, among other retailers.
Walking into the store, I was struck by its bright lighting, high ceilings, and colorful displays.
NPR reported in 2023 that new Barnes & Noble stores featured lighter paint and wood colors as part of a branding makeover that occurred when stores were closed during the pandemic.
"Onyx Storm" by Rebecca Yarros, a popular BookTok pick, was prominently displayed up front.
"Onyx Storm" is the fastest-selling adult novel since BookScan began tracking sales 20 years ago, with 2.7 million copies sold in its first week.
"Romantasy," the romance-fantasy genre that has taken over BookTok, was heavily featured across the store.
A sign described the genre and its tropes, such as enemies to lovers, found family, elemental magic, fairytale retellings, and strong heroines," as "all the books you've been hearing about!"
"Many stores have opted to feature BookTok tables and have grown some extensive Graphic Novels and Manga sections, and have truly become a go-to destination for kids and teenagers to gather after school," a Barnes & Noble spokesperson told Business Insider.
In another strong branding move, the bookseller offered exclusive Barnes & Noble editions of major titles.
The Barnes & Noble exclusive editions can feature exclusive cover designs or additional content, such as interviews with the authors — a draw for loyal fans to shop at Barnes & Noble over other retailers.
Bookshelves featured handwritten recommendations from Barnes & Noble employees.
The handwritten notes made the national retailer feel more like an indie bookstore.
As CEO, Daunt's strategy has been to allow store managers to stock books based on what's selling well in their individual locations instead of dictating orders from a centralized corporate office.
"I get all the glory, but actually what I'm doing is getting out of people's way and letting them run decent bookstores," Daunt told The New York Times in 2022.
In an eye-catching display, Barnes & Noble advertised books that have been banned in schools and libraries.
The selection of banned books included "The Diary of A Young Girl" by Anne Frank, "1984" by George Orwell, "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood," and "Gender Queer: A Memoir" by Maia Kobabe.
Barnes & Noble added a "banned books" section to its website and some stores in 2022. Some of the books "were banned on moral, religious, or political grounds," or because they "explore race, sexuality, and new concepts and ideas," per Barnes & Noble's website.
Many of the displays were laid out on smaller tables instead of larger bookshelves, allowing for more space to wander.
A Barnes & Noble spokesperson told BI that the stores encourage browsing with a layout that "guides customers on a smooth journey."
I noticed how reading nooks with seating were designed to allow customers to sit and read as they browsed.
As part of Barnes & Noble's redesign, books are organized by theme instead of alphabetically to help readers make new discoveries.
In the business section, books about Elon Musk and X, previously known as Twitter, were prominently featured.
When I visited in February, Musk and his Department of Governmental Efficiency continued to make headlines in the early days of the Trump administration. Barnes & Noble appeared to capitalize on increased interest in Musk's business practices by displaying books where people could learn more about him.
The toys and games section sold Lego sets, puzzles, and an array of board and card games.
The toys and games were strategically located near the section of children's books, charmingly labeled "Barnes & Noble Jr."
I was surprised to find that the upper level of the store had been converted to office space and was off-limits.
I'd assumed there would be more bookshelves to peruse upstairs. From the ground floor, I could see employees working in cubicles and holding meetings in glass-walled conference rooms.
The upper floors of Barnes & Noble's flagship store in Union Square have also been converted to office space as a cost-cutting measure instead of leasing an expensive corporate headquarters.
The coffee shop inside the store was full of people working on their laptops and chatting over coffee.
Barnes & Noble cafés license Starbucks drinks but sell different food items, so they're not considered stand-alone Starbucks stores and don't accept Starbucks gift cards.
The café offered free upgrades to the next-largest beverage size for Barnes & Noble premium members.
The premium membership, launched in 2023, costs $39.99 per year.
With its viral BookTok recommendations, inviting nooks to peruse, and spacious café, I could see why Barnes & Noble is thriving.
"Barnes & Noble has always been a social hub, but it became even more so after the pandemic; many readers were looking for a place to spend time and connect with other people in their community," a Barnes & Noble spokesperson told Business Insider. "With this shift to a 'third place' our bookstores and cafés were seen as the perfect safe and welcoming space to meet up with friends and explore the stacks."
