Barnes & Noble Opens New Store in Santa Monica08/21/2024

Author Olivie Blake to Host Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and Book Signing at the Grand Opening at 10AM on Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Santa Monica, CA - August 21, 2024 - Barnes & Noble is thrilled to announce the opening of its new Santa Monica bookstore on Wednesday, August 28^th. The new Barnes & Noble will officially open to the public at 10AM PT on Wednesday the 28^th, with author Olivie Blake cutting the ribbon and signing copies of her books.

The new Barnes & Noble is located on the Third Street Promenade (1318 3rd Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401) and marks the return of the bookseller to the Third Street Promenade. The old bookstore closed in 2018. The new location has a storied history, having been previously the home to fabled bookseller Midnight Special Bookstore. More recently the store was occupied by Athleta.

"This is an exceptionally attractive building that in the past was a stunningly beautiful bookstore, and will now be so again," said James Daunt, CEO, Barnes & Noble. "The opening in Santa Monica is emblematic of the renaissance of physical bookstores."

Barnes & Noble is enjoying a period of tremendous growth as the strategy to hand control of each bookstore to its local booksellers has proven so successful. The bookseller is experiencing strong sales in its existing stores and has been opening many new stores after more than 15 years of declining store numbers. In 2023, Barnes & Noble opened more new bookstores in a single year than it had in the whole decade from 2009 to 2019. The bookseller expects to open over 50 new bookstores in 2024.

The Santa Monica location is one of four new Barnes & Noble bookstores to open in August, alongside stores in New Mexico, Kentucky and New York. Each grand opening has drawn enthusiastic crowds that wrap around the building, filling the store as the ribbon is cut.

"Our entire team has transferred here from nearby Barnes & Noble bookstores, bringing with them a wealth of knowledge and decades of bookselling experience," said Sarah Abel, Store Manager. "We are thrilled to have so many diverse literary backgrounds on board to make our store a staple of the community. We all believe in the power of a good book and cannot wait to help our customers find the right one for them."

Customers can discover more about upcoming events and news by following @bnstamonica on social media.

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