A significant retail development is set to take place in downtown Seattle with the upcoming launch of a Barnes & Noble bookstore. This marks the chain's return to the area after a six-year hiatus following the closure of its previous location.
Scheduled to open on April 29 at 9 a.m., the new store is located at 520 Pike St., conveniently positioned near Pike Place Market and close to Amazon’s headquarters. A grand opening event will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a signing by bestselling author Robin Hobb.
Jon Scholes, President and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association, expressed optimism about the store's opening, emphasizing the positive implications for the local market. He noted that the area is witnessing a resurgence in residential population and visitor numbers that surpass pre-pandemic levels.
This new location is also strategically situated within walking distance of Amazon's Denny Triangle. The tech company, which began as an online bookseller, had previously affected physical bookstores like Barnes & Noble, which in a twist, opened in former Amazon Books sites in Boston last year.