After a decade-long absence, Barnes & Noble is making a grand return to Kenwood. The beloved bookstore chain will open its doors to the public on Friday, December 1st, at its new location in the Kenwood Collection on 5901 E. Galbraith Road. This new store is conveniently situated near Crate & Barrel and Old Navy, just a half-mile from its original Kenwood Towne Centre location.

This exciting comeback marks a remarkable turnaround for Barnes & Noble, which has undergone a period of significant growth in recent years. The company’s success can be attributed to its innovative strategy of empowering individual store managers with greater autonomy. Maria Frick McCartney, a seasoned Barnes & Noble veteran with 24 years of experience, will helm the new Kenwood location.

Barnes & Noble is bucking the trend of many brick-and-mortar retailers, which have struggled in the face of online competition. The company has consistently opened new stores in recent years, with 2022 witnessing more new store openings than the entire decade from 2009 to 2019. In 2023 alone, Barnes & Noble has opened over 30 new stores, with plans to expand to over 50 by 2024.

To commemorate the grand opening, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on Friday at 10 a.m. Renowned author Emily Jane will be gracing the event with her presence, signing copies of her captivating novel ‘On Earth as it is on Television.’

Barnes & Noble currently operates three other locations in the Tri-State area, including Florence, West Chester Township, and Mason’s Deerfield Towne Center. The company was a founding anchor tenant of Newport on the Levee when it opened in 2001 but closed its doors in September 2019. While there are no immediate plans to return to Newport on the Levee, Barnes & Noble’s triumphant return to Kenwood signals a promising future for the beloved bookstore chain.