Like a lot of retailers in 2019, Barnes & Noble Inc. is working hard to meet the needs of a new generation of consumers—who shop online, hang out in coffee shops and value co-working spaces. This spring, the bookselling giant moved its Woodbury location from the original Woodbury Village spot to a new store at CityPlace with a much smaller footprint (roughly 14,000 square feet). In fact, the original Woodbury Village store was built so early in the chain’s expansion in the 1990s that it didn’t include a café, a kids’ area or a few other now-familiar amenities.
“We are thrilled to continue to serve the Woodbury community by launching a new prototype store at CityPlace,” says vice president of stores Frank Morabito. “This new prototype is part of our ongoing testing of new stores across the country.” The fresh design includes contemporary, clean aesthetics with a more “open” vibe (the bookshelves are lower profile to allow for a broad view of the whole space). Two large “book theaters” let customers discover books in 360 degrees, and a revamped children’s area features activity tables and a dedicated story time space.
The new concept also encourages shoppers to gather with friends, coworkers or book clubs—it offers more large-group seating areas in the store and café (with lots of outlets for charging laptops and phones). There’s also an event space where the store plans to host authors for talks, readings and book signings.
Barnes & Noble
375 Radio Drive
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