May 28, 2025

Barnes & Noble opens in Lakewood

Photos from Barnes & Noble Lakewood’s Facebook page [enlarge]

The new Lakewood store is at Lakewood Towne Center.

Today marks the grand opening of national book retailer Barnes & Noble's new Lakewood store.

The store is in Lakewood Towne Center (at 10330 59th Ave. S.W.) and is a relocation of the company's former bookstore at the Lakewood Mall, which closed earlier this month.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and book signing featuring authors Terry Brooks, Robin Hobb and Shawn Speakman is planned for today starting at 10 a.m.

In a press release, Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt said that after nearly 30 years in business, the old Lakewood Mall bookstore was in dire need of an update, prompting the decision to move to Towne Center. “Here in Lakewood Towne Center, we are very proud to present a fresh, new Barnes & Noble, which our booksellers have expertly curated,” he said.

The new store features an extensive range of books, and also sells toys, games and gifts. In addition, shoppers can enjoy a coffee or treat at an in-store B&N Cafe.

In the press release Barnes & Noble said “it is enjoying a period of tremendous growth” because of a recent strategy to hand control of each of its bookstores to its local booksellers.

In 2024, the company opened more new bookstores in a single year than it had in the whole decade from 2009 to 2019 and expects to open over 60 new bookstores in 2025.

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The store carries a wide variety of book titles as well as games, toys and gifts.

In our region, a new Bellevue location opened in January at Bellevue Square. That opening marked the return of Barnes & Noble to Bellevue. The bookseller had a store in downtown Bellevue for 29 years before it closed in 2022 to make way for a residential development.

Last week the company also announced a new partnership with University Book Store at the University of Washington, which will see the national retailer take over and operate the store's general books and merchandise departments.

University Book Store, at 4326 University Way N.E., until now has been entirely independently operated since it was founded by UW students in 1900. University Book Store will continue selling textbooks, student supplies and UW branded merchandise.

The partnership with Barnes & Noble will significantly increase the store's general titles holdings.

King 5 reports that Barnes & Noble will begin operations at University Book Store in early summer.