Jonathan Kieran

It was a long and arduous journey for the staff of Redding, CA’s biggest (and only) major brick-and-mortar bookstore, but after a tumultuous year of planning, renovation, preparation, and no small amount of negotiation, Barnes & Noble found a resplendent new home on Hilltop Drive. The grand opening of the impressive new location— featuring 15K additional square feet of space in which to lose one’s self in the wonderful world of literature—took place on January 24, with lines of excited customers winding around the block. Longtime admirers of the stalwart establishment were astonished by the grandeur of the immaculate new store and hundreds of first-time fans were captured for keeps with the cutting of a ribbon!

I finally had a chance to visit the store yesterday and was blown away by the breathtaking new spot. Barnes & Noble had hitherto soldiered-on admirably at a smaller, more isolated location near Churn Creek Road in Redding—a last vestige of what now seems a bygone era, when big, opulent bookstores graced every American city and notable shopping center. Today, once-mighty chains like Borders and Waldenbooks are mere marketplace memories, the victims of overwhelming online juggernauts like Amazon and a chaotic disintegration of quality work being produced by dwindling NYC houses, crumbling literacy rates, preoccupation with other forms of digital entertainment, and a bevy of additional tectonic shifts that cannot be delineated in one blog post.

But Barnes & Noble avoided the ruin of its competitors by continuing to maintain a vision that refused to abandon its emphasis upon genuine community involvement and a warm, welcoming ambience, one that made “big” bookstores seem intimate and geared to serve as cherished gathering places, rather than cold warehouses of scattered product. Booksellers at Barnes & Noble have likewise been held to high standards of attentiveness and customer service impeccability; these factors have played crucial roles in keeping Barnes & Noble not only alive but thriving in the oft-troubled economies of the new century. Moving successfully against the prevailing winds of brick-and-mortar erosion, Barnes & Noble has been opening more new locations across the United States than it has been closing stores, a refreshing upward trajectory that has been noticed by major media outlets across the board.

The secret? Barnes & Noble is in the business of selling books to real people in the community, from the hands of real people in the community—knowledgable staff members form a firm foundation for marketplace abundance and satisfying experiences across this company’s landscape. Barnes & Noble has also made it a point to support and showcase a vast array of literary voices, vending a tantalizing panorama of superb product at affordable prices. Book signings and author events are “booked” solid at the new Redding locale, with more opportunities for authors and readers on the way. Sparkling cafes await those who visit most Barnes & Noble locations and encourage them to linger with friends and meet new ones, all surrounded by the attractively organized stacks and the unique sense of abiding comfort that comes from relaxing and browsing amid some of the best friends a person can have: books! Moreover, a knockout new user-friendly membership/rewards program promises to send customer loyalty and engagement into the stratosphere.

The cafe at the new Redding store was bustling with happy customers when I visited and the luxuriously appointed space was filled with hundreds of excited shoppers ready to embark upon new discoveries. Store co-manager, Jay Brinkman, who toiled throughout the daunting transition, was alive with excitement and palpable optimism when it came to explaining the vision for the new location as a bastion of community solidarity, friendly commerce, and even outreach as a real force for uplifting opportunity across the city. He and the entire staff at the new store are taking the joy of bookselling to the next level. There is no doubt in my kind that Barnes& Noble will become and remain one of the brightest jewels in the crown of Redding’s wider experience of community pride, a hub of good will and dazzling discovery for fans of every form of contemporary entertainment; in addition to books, the store offers a remarkable array of music, games, gaming accessories, toys, puzzles, and treats galore. Barnes and Noble IS the place to indulge yourself and those you love for every occasion, every interest, and every one-of-a-kind surprise.

This is a magnificent moment for the Redding, CA citizenry and a sure sign of bright, successful days ahead. Congratulations to the team at Barnes & Noble, headed by Melissa and Jay and their outstanding cadre of associates. Go get ‘em! (And if you’re reading this … get yourself to the nearest Barnes & Noble location, pronto!)

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[ Delightful new work by Jonathan Kieran is slated for major release in the near future so brace yourselves and think of England. This stuff is built for speed. Stay tuned for more … ]

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