Barnes & Noble Opens In Morris County, Part Of Makeover At Ledgewood Mall

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — A popular Barnes & Noble location, which closed down more than three years ago, has officially reopened its doors to the public.

The new Barnes & Noble storefront is located at what is now called the Shops at Ledgewood Commons (461 State Route 10, Ledgewood), next to DSW and Ulta Beauty.

The bookshop formally opened to the public on Wednesday, with author Amy Jo Burns cutting the ribbon and signing copies of Mercury, January's B&N Book Club pick.

“Our return to the newly redeveloped Ledgewood Commons is a perfect example of the turnaround in brick-and-mortar bookselling,” said James Daunt, CEO, Barnes & Noble. “When our lease ended in 2020, after 26 years of bookselling in our former location, bookstores were closing at an alarming rate. Now, just four years later, we are able to open many beautiful new stores, including those in areas we had previously left."

Residents have expressed their enthusiasm for the new venture on social media. "This makes me so happy! People have been messaging me about this news for a few weeks. The community is so excited for your return," one resident wrote on Facebook.

Back in 2020, the bookstore shuttered its doors to make way for the brand-new shopping center. At the time, the bookstore decided not to sign on to reopen its site when the Shops at Ledgewood Commons project was finished, instead announcing on social media that they were going to be closing down for good.

However, that decision was rethought, and the company announced that they would be returning to Ledgewood earlier this year.

"It is immensely gratifying to come back to Ledgewood with this stunning new bookstore in such a vibrant, modern shopping center,” Daunt said.

The new site features the widely acclaimed bookshop design found in the most recent Barnes & Noble store openings, as well as all of the best books, toys, games and gifts that consumers have come to expect from the country's leading bookseller.

“We’re so excited to be bringing Barnes & Noble back to Ledgewood,” said store manager Mary Videc. “The new store design is amazing, and the booksellers enthusiastically took on the task of creating a personalized experience for our community. The outpouring of support from local readers upon hearing news of our return has been overwhelming, and we can’t wait to welcome them into their new Ledgewood Barnes & Noble.”

The new location will also not have a music section, similar to the Morris Plains location, the company said. The bookshop will also not have a café on the premises, although there is a Starbucks across the street, officials said.