Apr 14, 2025 - Business
Barnes & Noble is reopening in Richmond as part of its national comeback
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After more than 15 years of closing stores, Barnes & Noble is planning to open 60 new locations this year — including one in Richmond this summer.
Why it matters: Reading and brick-and-mortar bookshops are experiencing a revival, thanks in large part to TikTok.
State of play: The big-box bookseller is expected to reopen its store in The Creeks at Virginia Centre in July, according to its website.
- That's the same store it closed last summer after a 23-year-run.
- Barnes & Noble started opening stores in a big way last year to meet the growing demand for them, the bookseller told Fast Company.
Zoom in: The company credits #BookTok, the thriving community of book-lovers sharing recommendations on TikTok, with the renewed interest in reading, "especially among young people."
- BookTok has also helped fuel the surge in interest in the Romantasy (romance fantasy) sub-genre, propelling titles like "Onyx Storm" and "A Court of Thorns and Roses" to bestsellers lists.
- But the social sharing has also driven renewed interest in reading the classics, like "1984," "The Great Gatsby" and "To Kill a Mockingbird."
The bottom line: Reading is cool again.