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The Surprising Return of the Bookstore - by Ted Gioia

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Three years ago, I praised the new boss at Barnes & Noble—a man named James Daunt who actually loves books. Back then, he was already infusing new life in the struggling company, and I predicted good things to come. They have now arrived in full force. Barnes & Noble opened 57 new stores in 2024 and 58 in 2025. Plans are afoot to open 60 more stores in 2026, and list the company on the stock exchange. This is a remarkable achievement. It’s happening in the face of eroding reading skills and the replacement of leisure reading with online distractions. Reading for pleasure is down 40% but Barnes & Noble is growing steadily. James Daunt must be some kind of culture superhero to succeed in this environment. How does he do this? His goal is simple and straightforward: He wants to “make the bookstore as interesting and attractive as possible, and have within it friendly, informed booksellers who enjoyed their customers and their jobs.” Daunt cares deeply about books and hires people who feel

The Surprising Return of the Bookstore And other updates on past articles Ted Gioia Dec 19, 2025 522 74 52 Share Three years ago, I praised the new boss at Barnes & Noble —a man named James Daunt who actually loves books. Back then, he was already infusing new life in the struggling company, and I predicted good things to come. They have now arrived in full force. Barnes & Noble opened 57 new stores in 2024 and 58 in 2025. Plans are afoot to open 60 more stores in 2026, and list the company on the stock exchange. This is a remarkable achievement. It’s happening in the face of eroding reading s

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