This Is How BookTok Saved Barnes and Noble
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When was the last time you bought a physical book? When it comes to Gen Z, the answer is likely more recently than one might expect. Despite the popularity of digital media, from ebooks to streaming to social media, bookstore sales are on the rise. The proof? Barnes and Noble is opening more stores than ever — and they’re thanking BookTok for making it possible.
In 2025, Barnes and Noble is planning to open at least 60 new stores across 17 states, including New York, California and Texas. “Since the rise of BookTok during the pandemic, bookstores have seen a significant surge in popularity, especially among young people,” Barnes & Noble told Fast Company. “Our stores have become popular social spots, offering an experience that online shopping simply can’t match.”
From 2009 onwards, Barnes and Noble had a decade of troubles, closing more than 150 stores and teetering on the brink of going out of business. But in the past few years they’ve recovered, well, nobly, in no small part thanks to the rising popularity of book-centered social media. This year's expansion will be their biggest one to date since they started closing stores.
The books-obsessed side of TikTok thrives off of sharing their latest reads, videos of their color-coded bookshelves and, of course, towering stacks of book hauls from romance to fantasy. What do all these videos have in common? They look best with physical books to film. In fact, Barnes and Noble has a whole BookTok section on their website to make it easy to grab the most viral books and join the conversation.
Also increasing the popularity of physical editions is a hot new book trend: sprayed edges. These are books with pictures printed onto the edges of the pages, creating must-have collector's editions of TikTok favorites. A quick look at Barnes and Noble's sprayed edges section on their website shows dragons flying up the edge of Onyx Storm, an all-black “Night Court”-themed edition of A Court of Thorns and Roses, and a poolside scene painted on the pages of Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation.
Riding the resurgence of popularity around physical book purchases, Barnes and Noble opened more new bookstores in 2024 than it did in the entire decade from 2009 to 2019.
This Barnes and Noble expansion is a win both for physical book publishing and for bookworms looking for in-person community. Sociologists have written about the decline of the “third space,” areas in public life that are not home or work. Third spaces are places where people can meet and build community, but they’ve been becoming less and less common — for example, the new Starbucks rules that the cafes are only for customers, a change from their previous "open door" policy.
Physical bookstores are a space to meet like-minded people and get book recommendations that aren’t driven by an algorithm. Want to cry over the most heart wrenching literary fiction, scream over your favorite romantasy hunks, or just find the best new releases? Bookstores let you do that in a physical community, even if you’re a dedicated introvert. Many Barnes and Nobles include an integrated café, creating an inexpensive and welcoming space to soak up the books and maybe meet some new people. Physical bookstores also offer events like story time and author signings, something that can’t be replicated or replaced by buying online. With more Barnes and Nobles opening, enjoying the benefits of an in-person bookstore will be easier than ever.
Where are new Barnes and Noble stores opening?
Several Barnes and Noble stores have already opened in 2025, including locations in Washington, Texas, Florida, Colorado and California. More new stores will be opening this year across 17 states, including a new flagship store in downtown D.C. Here's a full list of the new locations:
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Illinois
Kansas
Maryland
Michigan
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New York
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Texas
Virgina
Washington
Not sure what to pick up when you stop in at the bookstore? Try a recommendation from the Good Housekeeping Book Club or check out more popular picks below:
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