Physical retail was supposed to be dead by now. If you listened to the experts ten years ago, we should all be living in a world of drone deliveries and digital ink. But if you’ve walked past a storefront recently, you might have noticed something weird. The green awnings are everywhere. Honestly, Barnes and Noble isn’t just surviving; it’s aggressively taking over suburban strips and city corners like it’s 1999 all over again.
As of early 2026, the company has confirmed plans to open 60 new stores this year alone. That's on top of the nearly 60 they opened in 2025. We are talking about a massive, multi-year expansion that basically spits in the face of the "retail apocalypse" narrative.
The 2026 Expansion: Where are these stores going?
You've probably seen the headlines. The company isn't just sticking to New York or LA. They are hitting states like Ohio, Florida, Texas, and Washington. In Chicago, they’re doing something particularly gutsy: opening a massive 30,000-square-foot flagship on State Street in the old Old Navy building.
For a long time, the strategy was to shrink. Get smaller. Pay less rent. Now? They’re going big.
- California and Florida are seeing a heavy concentration of new leases.
- Chicago is getting four new locations by the summer of 2026, including that three-story beast in the Loop.
- Suburban markets are being reclaimed, often in the very towns where B&N closed up shop a decade ago.
It’s a bizarre reversal. The company spent the better part of twenty years in a slow-motion collapse, losing ground to Amazon and watching their stock price crater. Now, they are the ones hunting for real estate.
Why Barnes and Noble is suddenly "Cool" again
So, what changed? Most people point to the CEO, James Daunt. He took over in 2019 and basically did the opposite of what every other corporate executive does. He stopped telling stores what to do.
In the old days, every Barnes and Noble looked the same. The same bestsellers were in the front. The same "buy 2 get 1" deals were shoved in your face. It was sterile. Daunt—who also runs the UK chain Waterstones—handed the keys back to the local managers.
The Death of the Cookie-Cutter Store
If you go into a B&N in a college town now, it looks different than one in a retirement community. The local staff actually picks the books. They curate the "Staff Picks" wall without some corporate memo telling them what to promote. This "neighborhood bookstore" vibe is exactly what Gen Z is looking for.
Funny enough, the very people who grew up with iPads are the ones driving this. BookTok (the book side of TikTok) has turned reading into a social currency. It’s not just about the story; it’s about the physical object. The cover art. The smell of the paper. Barnes and Noble realized that and leaned in hard.
The Financial Side: IPO Rumors and Revenue
The numbers are starting to back up the hype. In fiscal year 2025, the company reported a revenue of about $1.6 billion. That’s a 2.7% jump, which doesn't sound like much until you realize that "comparable store sales" (sales at stores open at least a year) were up by 7.5%.
People aren't just browsing; they are actually buying.
"You don't open 60 shops for free," Daunt told The Bookseller recently.
The investment world is taking notice. There is heavy chatter that Elliott Investment Management, the hedge fund that owns B&N, is eyeing an IPO in late 2026. They’ve spent years cleaning up the balance sheet and proving the model works. If they go public, it’ll be a massive test for whether Wall Street believes in physical retail again.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Comeback
There’s a common misconception that Barnes and Noble is winning because they sell more "stuff"—like LEGOs or Squishmallows. While the toys and games are still there, the company has actually pulled back on the "gift shop" vibe.
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They’ve refocused on being a bookstore first.
They are even partnering with indie darlings like the film studio A24 to create shop-in-shops. They recently bought the iconic (but struggling) Tattered Cover chain in Denver. They are positioning themselves as the "big indie"—the place that has the scale of a corporation but the soul of a local shop.
The Cafe Refresh
Don't think they've forgotten the lattes, though. The 2026 store designs include "cozier" cafe layouts. They want you to stay for three hours. In an age where every other retailer is trying to get you in and out as fast as possible to save on labor, B&N wants you to "linger." It turns out, the longer you stay, the more likely you are to buy a $30 hardcover you didn't know you wanted.
Actionable Insights for the Savvy Reader
If you're a regular shopper or just watching the business world, here’s what this news actually means for you:
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- Check your local listings: If your town lost a B&N five years ago, keep an eye on new shopping center developments. They are actively "re-entering" markets they abandoned.
- Use the app, but shop the shelf: The company is integrating their rewards program more tightly. If you're a "Premium Member" ($35/year), the 10% discount now applies to almost everything, which actually makes them competitive with Amazon's pricing on new releases.
- Watch the IPO: If you're an investor, the late 2026 window is the one to watch. The "Waterstones and Barnes and Noble" combined listing could be one of the biggest retail stories of the year.
- Local events are back: Because managers have more control, expect more local author signings and book clubs. It’s worth checking the specific social media page for your local branch rather than just the national corporate site.
The reality is that Barnes and Noble found a way to make the "boring" business of selling paper and glue feel like an experience. In a world of digital fatigue, that might be the smartest business move they ever made.