By Bob Seidenberg
Barnes and Noble, once a gem of Evanston’s downtown, is staging a comeback in other places.
The company, armed with a “books first” philosophy, is planning to open 60 stores in the coming year, including its largest Chicago location in the Loop this summer, various outlets have reported
Evanston’s Barnes & Noble bookstore closed in the midst of Covid in May 2020. Facing a changing market, store owners were exploring different alternatives to the store’s 30,600 square foot space at 1630 Sherman Ave., which was spread out over two floors, including a move into smaller space on the block’s corner.
When that didn’t work out, the store ended up leaving quietly. Northwestern Medicine, which provides health care services, eventually moved into the site after a buildout.
The company is looking at opening at four locations in the first half of 2026, including Hyde Park, Skokie (relocating to new quarters) at the rebuilt Westville Old Orchard) and Oak Park, along with Chicago, WBEZChicage and other outlets reported.
https://www.wbez.org/business/2026/01/10/barnes-noble-largest-chicago-bookstore-successful-openings
The store continues to face strong competition from Amazon. But in its “books first” philosophy, the company plays up the experience of having a physical bookstore where once customers come in, “you will be surrounded by other books, which you can browse and engage with,” said James Daunt, Barnes & Noble CEO, in an interview with PBS.