Barnes & Noble is Expanding Again — Are There New Stores Near You?

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If you’ve searched “Barnes & Noble closing stores” recently, we get it — the chain went through a rough decade, and old habits of worry die hard. But the actual story couldn’t be more different: Barnes & Noble is in full expansion mode, opening 60 new locations in 2026 alone. This marks the third year in a row the bookseller has hit that number, a dramatic reversal from the years when over 150 stores shut their doors for good.

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How Barnes & Noble Turned It Around

For a company that once felt like it was circling the drain, Barnes & Noble’s comeback has been one of retail’s more surprising stories. A few things came together at once: a pandemic-era reading boom, the rise of BookTok and Bookstagram driving real foot traffic back into physical stores, and a broader cultural pullback from screens as people (especially younger readers) look for offline, tactile hobbies again.

Leadership mattered too. When James Daunt took over as CEO in 2019, he moved away from the old one-size-fits-all corporate model and let individual stores curate their own displays and staff picks based on their local community. That personal touch — a bookseller who actually knows and loves books — is something no algorithm can fully replace, and shoppers have responded.

New Barnes & Noble Locations Opening in 2026

So far this year, 19 new locations have already opened, with 41 more expected by mid-November. Here’s where new stores have landed so far:

F Street, DC Strongsville, OH Katy, TX St. Lucie West, FL Old Orchard, IL First & Main, CO Hyde Park, IL Melbourne, FL Clovis, CA Clarendon, VA Pike St, WA Prosper, TX Aurora, OH Turlock, CA Lake Nona, FL Knightdale Market Place, NC Oak Park, IL Edgewood, GA Casper, WY

More stores are on the way this year across Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kentucky, California, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, Arizona, Massachusetts, Missouri, Virginia, and Maryland.

Find Radical Señora Era In Stores

If a new Barnes & Noble is opening near you, it’s a great excuse to pick up a copy of our book, Radical Señora Era: Latin American Secrets for a Healthier, Happier Life, in person. It’s available at Barnes & Noble locations and on their website, alongside our usual spots — so if you’ve been meaning to grab it, this is your sign.

FAQ

Is Barnes & Noble closing stores in 2026? No — despite that being a common search, Barnes & Noble is actually expanding. The chain is opening 60 new stores in 2026, its third consecutive year at that pace.

How many Barnes & Noble stores are there? Barnes & Noble’s store count has been climbing steadily since 2019, with dozens of new locations added each year as part of its ongoing expansion strategy.

Is Radical Señora Era available at Barnes & Noble? Yes — Radical Señora Era is available both in-store and online at Barnes & Noble.

Paper Ghosts: A Novel

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How Barnes & Noble Turned It Around

New Barnes & Noble Locations Opening in 2026

Find Radical Señora Era In Stores

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