Since James Daunt took over as Barnes & Noble’s CEO in 2023, the largest bookstore chain in the United States has been expanding. In addition to opening new locations—60 new stores in 2025, with 60 more planned for 2026—it has also been acquiring independently owned bookstore chains.
In 2024, it bought Tattered Cover for $1.83 million, after the Denver bookstore filed for bankruptcy, and last year, it bought the San Francisco-based chain Books Inc. for $3.25 million, also after it filed for bankruptcy. In both cases, Barnes & Noble stated that the bookstores would keep their names and “distinct identity.” (Judging by their websites and social media presence, Tattered Cover and Books Inc. have both retained their branding since their acquisitions.)
In 2026, the trend continues: Barnes & Noble has just acquired the last two stores of the bookstore chain Joseph-Beth Booksellers, located in Cincinnati, Ohio and Lexington, Kentucky. They will be keeping their brand and their Bronte Bistro restaurants.
This news is always bittersweet for fans of these indie bookstores: how much of that “distinct identity” can really be maintained after being bought out? On the other hand, this is usually the last option before closing entirely, so Barnes & Noble is preventing them from disappearing.
If there are any little birdies out there with inside knowledge of how an indie bookstore changes after being bought out by Barnes & Noble, inquiring minds here at Book Riot would like to know!
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