It’s been a tumultuous decade for print publishing, but you wouldn’t know it from looking at your local Barnes & Noble. And if you don’t have one near you, that may be about to change.

Barnes & Noble plans to open 60 new stores this year as part of an ongoing expansion, according to reporting from USA Today. Several of the planned locations are already open for business. It’s the third year in a row that the bookseller has opened 60 new locations, marking a major shift in the retailer’s fortunes.

The corporate chain famously faced financial difficulties as Amazon and online shopping increasingly competed with physical book sales. Once ubiquitous in your local mall, the chain hit hard times starting in 2009 and closed over 150 locations in the years that followed.

However, both the rise of reading during the pandemic and the subsequent popularity of book-themed social media—known as BookTok and Bookstagram to readers—have led to a resurgence for Barnes & Noble. In fact, the chain actually thanked BookTok for helping turn its fortunes around. In 2024, Barnes & Noble opened more new bookstores than it did in the entire decade between 2009 and 2019.

From unveiling book hauls on social media to waiting in line for the latest collector’s edition book with sprayed edges, physical media has made a major comeback in recent years. It’s part of a growing turn towards offline hobbies as discontent with the digital age grows among Gen Z.

Barnes & Noble’s increased success is also partly the result of a change in corporate strategy. When James Daunt became CEO in 2019, he shifted the bookseller’s approach away from conformity across all Barnes & Noble locations toward encouraging local stores to personalize their displays and staff recommendations to cater to their local audiences. This personal touch—from booksellers who love books—is something Amazon can’t replicate online and that consumers are increasingly seeking.

New locations in 2026

In 2026, Barnes & Noble plans to open 60 locations across
the country. 19 locations have already opened, with another 41 planned to open by mid-November, according to Barnes & Noble's public relations. These are the locations opened in 2026 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

Further stores are planned to open later this year in CT, NY, NJ, OK, IL, KY, CA, FL, TX, NC, PA, AL, GA, OH, AZ, MA, MO, VA, and MD.