Barnes & Noble has opened a 17,000-square-foot new concept store in Columbia, Md., the Columbia Patch reported. It is one of six new concept stores and its features include community tables, a cafe, an events space and "book theaters"--circular displays meant to draw shoppers into the store.
The store has oak bookshelves and LED lights, and staff members carry tablets to help them quickly search the store's inventory. Self-service information kiosks are also located around the store. There is a local-interest section featuring books by local authors and about Maryland.
The children's section, located at the back of the store, features a Lego area, and there are prominent young adult and graphic novel sections as well. Some of the store's sideline offerings include vinyl music and turntables, educational toys and games, and other "curated gift items."
Unlike the early round of B&N concept stores, the Columbia store does not have a full restaurant or bar. Rather, the cafe sells Starbucks coffee and tea along with assorted baked goods, sandwiches, salads and snacks. The tables are equipped with outlets and charging stations. The event space, meanwhile, measures some 700 square feet and will be used for author events, school book fairs, story times and the like.
In a preview tour of the new store, B&N's v-p of stores Carl Hauch said: "What we wanted to do when we designed this store was to create a modern, contemporary bookstore, of course with books at its core and at its center."