A Barnes & Noble is coming back to Jenkintown. Years ago, we had one that closed and the space became a CVS. It made me wonder: do “big box” comebacks shift consumer behavior in small towns? Will local bookstores feel an impact?
Nearby Capricorn Books, Open Book Bookstore, and Booked are wonderful little shops, and their foot traffic could potentially be disrupted. Possibly… But the truly devoted customers will probably keep supporting them.
Will I skip local brewery restaurants with a Honeygrow nearby? Doubtful. People form strong allegiances, not just to brands, but to experiences.
The local coffee shop loyalist doesn’t suddenly switch to Wawa because it’s convenient. The indie bookstore browser may see Barnes & Noble as a different experience, not a replacement.
Personally, B&N was formative for me. I used to camp out in their web development section for hours, treating it like a free university library. And that’s something that a local book store doesn’t have: niche sections that are heavy with technology.
For fiction, I will always go to a local shop. And if they don’t have the book, I can order it through them and stop by again.
Many in Philly used the Rittenhouse Square B&N as an urban rest stop. It later doubled as a family-friendly community hub that sold educational toys with sections devoted to Star Wars and Harry Potter. It got bizarre. I’d sip a Starbucks coffee from the in-house shop and then watch my kids as toddlers play with a wooden Thomas The Train set with others.
Big box returns bring the competition, but they also shape local culture. Are big-box revivals more of a threat or opportunity for small towns?