The bookstore chain Barnes & Noble opened a new location on M Street Nov. 6, marking its return to Washington, D.C., after more than a decade.
The new location at 3040 M St. NW replaced a Nike store, though Barnes & Noble had previously operated a store in the same building from 1995 to 2011. The M Street location is the only chain bookstore operating in Georgetown, joining the independent Bridge Street Books and the volunteer-run used bookstore Lantern Bookshop in serving the neighborhood.
Abby Bennsky, one of the store’s managers, said the store has been extremely popular since it opened and has received praise from neighbors.
“On opening day we were super busy,” Bennsky told The Hoya. “We were even busier the weekend afterwards, we had a lot of press and a lot of people showed up.”
“All we’ve heard is just people really excited that we’re back in the area,” she added.
The closure of Barnes & Noble’s earlier Georgetown store left the neighborhood without a bookstore as part of a string of high-profile bookstore closures across the city.
Anusha Chowdhuri (SFS ’28), who visited Barnes & Noble’s new location shortly after its opening, said she is excited to have a bookstore in the neighborhood.
“When I came to Georgetown I was pretty excited about the idea of having a bookstore on campus, but it was very disappointing to see that it was mostly textbooks and merch,” Chowdhuri told The Hoya. “I’m very excited about this new bookstore because I’ve been to Barnes & Noble a lot in my hometown.”
In the 13 years since Barnes & Noble’s closure, Bennsky said the chain pivoted in strategy, allowing local store managers to curate the store’s offerings.
“This time we’re trying to cater the bookstore to our readers and make it specifically for the people of Georgetown,” Bennsky said.
“We’re trying to cater to young professionals and more of a literary scene,” she added. “People who are interested in politics and history are going to be among our biggest readerships so we want to make sure they feel welcomed along with everyone else.”
James Daunt, the CEO of Barnes & Noble, said the store’s opening is a significant step for the company’s efforts to rebuild following years of closures.
“The Georgetown Barnes & Noble is the most ambitious of all the new bookstores we, or anyone else, has opened in over 15 years,” Daunt wrote in a press release. “The return to this historic building is a dramatic example of the ongoing revival of brick-and-mortar bookstores.”
According to the press release, the localized strategy has allowed the chain to grow after years of declining sales. The M Street location is one of 13 new Barnes & Noble stores planned to open in November, and over 60 locations planned for 2024.
Following years of closures and declining sales, physical bookstores have experienced a boom in popularity from customers seeking hands-on book suggestions and literary community spaces. At least 200 independent bookstores have opened in the United States since 2023, according to the American Booksellers Association.
Devin Weil (CAS ’28), who also visited the bookstore shortly after it opened, said the new location provides a needed community space in Georgetown.
“It’s much bigger than the store I’m used to, but it’s nice to have that sense of community where people can come together and explore books,” Weil told The Hoya. “I loved that since it was multiple stories there were lots of options too — not just books, but also a very big collection of CDs and vinyl.”
Chowdhuri said she is looking forward to becoming a frequent customer of the store.
“When I visited there on the opening weekend with my friends it was very crowded and it made me feel at home the moment I stepped inside,” Chowdhuri said. “I’m really excited to visit it again.”