Barnes & Noble Opening New Store In Cheshire

CHESHIRE, CT — Barnes & Noble will open its new location in Cheshire on Wednesday, Oct. 29, the retailer announced this week.

The new Barnes & Noble will offer roughly 18,000 square feet of books, toys, games, magazines, gift items and more, including a B&N Café, according to officials. The new Cheshire Barnes & Noble is located in a brand-new space at The Shops at Stone Bridge (1991 Highland Ave. in Cheshire), next to T.J. Maxx.

The new Barnes & Noble bookstore will officially open to the public at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29, with local author Amity Gaige cutting the ribbon and signing copies of her books, including her latest novel, an instant national bestseller, “Heartwood,” according to a news release.

“We are very pleased to open this beautiful new Barnes & Noble in Cheshire, our third new bookstore in Connecticut to open this year,” Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt said. “When looking to expand our presence in this area, Cheshire was at the top of our list and The Shops at Stone Bridge is a natural fit. Our Cheshire booksellers have been hard at work, thoughtfully tailoring their bookstore with their community in mind, and are eager to welcome customers into their brand-new Barnes & Noble.”

The new store is part of the retailer’s nationwide expansion.

The Cheshire location is one of eight new Barnes & Noble bookstores set to open in October, alongside new stores in California, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana and Tennessee.

“Barnes & Noble is enjoying a period of tremendous growth as the strategy to hand control of each bookstore to its local booksellers has proven so successful,” according to the news release. “The bookseller is experiencing strong sales in its existing stores and has been opening many new stores after more than 15 years of declining store numbers. In 2024, Barnes & Noble opened more new bookstores in a single year than it had in the whole decade from 2009 to 2019. The bookseller expects to open over 60 new bookstores in 2025.”

The design of the Cheshire store “showcases the ambition of Barnes & Noble to create exceptional local bookstores that marry the best traditions of independent bookselling with the resources of the historic chain,” the news release states.

The new Cheshire Barnes & Noble will cover about 18,000 square feet, including a café, and carry all the books, as well as a wide range of toys, games and the usual paper and gifting items found at Barnes & Noble.

“I am honored and excited to help open a brand-new Barnes & Noble in Cheshire," said Store Manager Hannah Lambert, Barnes & Noble bookseller of seven years. “We are all looking forward to becoming a part of and contributing to this beautiful community.”