Barnes & Noble is "actively looking" for a location in the Bethesda area, a spokesperson for the bookstore chain said. The town has been without a bookstore since Amazon Books closed at Bethesda Row, and the closure of the original Bethesda Row Barnes & Noble on January 11, 2018 is still lamented by residents exactly five years later. Now that Barnes & Noble has announced it will open at least 30 new stores in 2023, readers are naturally eager to know if the company will make a triumphant return to Bethesda.
"We would love to be in that area," the spokesperson said. A number of the chain's new stores are opening in former Amazon Books locations, but the spokesperson said they have not signed a lease for the former Amazon Books space in Bethesda. "[We] hope to find something soon," the spokesperson added.
The new Barnes & Noble in Rockville is smaller than older locations, but still has a Starbucks "BN Cafe." Barnes & Noble's Bethesda Row store was not only a haven for readers who still wanted to hold a physical book in their hands and peruse shelves, but also a community hub with its upstairs cafe.
21 comments:
The Washingtonian Center B&N is still a gem from the old days.
I would love for Barnes & Noble to come back to Bethesda Row! Hope it happens soon.
If the previous Amazon store is still available. it would seem ideal.
Or maybe in part of the space inside the former Safeway on Old Georgetown Road, right by the Metro.
My partner and I often lament the lack of bookstore in Bethesda, this would be great!
How about in the vacant Modell's location, it's two (step down) levels. They are going to need security and big working toilets for the he homeless, otherwise that would be a perfect walkable location, albeit dangerous driving location being so close to Elm Street carjackers' way.
Would love to have B&N back! My whole family loved it- as a gathering place, a cozy place to read and as a frequent resource to buy books for ourselves and as gifts; it’s sorely missed.
I don't understand why B&N had to close on the Pike. That was an awesome store and that adjoining Starbucks was great. There's a store exactly like that in Mt. Pleasant, SC that we go to often. It's always busy and has all the sections that the former Pike location had. Yes, B&N in Bethesda again would be a plus.
Great suggestion about the former Safeway location.
We're love to a B&N in downtown Bethesda. We used to go there before/after the movies and usually found something to buy!
You made my day — I mourn for the old BN all the time. Hooray!
I absolutely would love to see that happen. I really miss having B & N in Bethesda!
@JAC, that store moved one mile up the Pike to Congressional Plaza, and they still have a cafe.
@5:26 What a pitiful little person you are. It's commentors like you that make life disgusting.
The old Safeway location would never become a bookstore. It's tailor made for a new grocer.
Now if Kroger or Publix decided to get into this marketplace, it would be all over. Both of those grocery chains are better by far than any of our standard DC stores.
@ 8:24 AM -
Kroger owns Harris-Teeter.
Also, they are merging with Albertson's, the company that owns Safeway.
7:11 - They did move up to Congressional Plaza , true and I have been a few times. Yes, they have a cafe. But overall, it's not quite the same. The bookstore is much smaller than it was before. It's not bad but it's just smaller book and related selection.
Yes!
They moved to Congressional a bit north on 355 to the old Lebanese Taverna location and the restaurant went to a smaller space in Congressional
I will not shop anything Amazon.
How many square feet would they need for their store?
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