Former Barnes & Noble In Bergen County Will Reopen This Week For Special Purpose

NORTH JERSEY, NJ — The site of a former Barnes & Noble bookstore on Route 17 in Paramus will get new life this week as an "Achievement Center" for adults with disabilities.

On Tuesday, New Concepts for Living, which provides services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, will unveil the new center and day program.

The 81,423-square-foot facility will offer a wide range of programs, from recreational spaces and sensory rooms to life skills training and behavioral therapy. The on-site kitchen, supermarket, and laundry will help the adults practice life skills.

Often Age Out Of Youth Programs

The center will help meet the growing demand for services for adults with disabilities, who often age out of youth programs.

In fact, New Concepts for Living, a not-for-profit, was formed in 1981 by a group of parents whose developmentally disabled children were transitioning into adulthood.

A ribbon cutting will be held for the center at noon on Tuesday. The New Concepts for Living Achievement Center will be located at 765 Route 17 South.

The group currently has its headquarters in Rochelle Park.

"NCFL’s new Achievement Center will be, in all metrics, the finest in the state, if not the country," they said. " This new facility will enable us to serve over three times the number of our current participants and provide targeted services and dedicated programs for higher-need individuals."

The facility will include, among other features:

• 5500 Sq. Ft. community center/town square
• Main Street and walking paths
• Computer and technology lab
• Life skills training rooms – kitchen, supermarket, bedroom, laundry
• Two staff training areas

More information and photos of the facility are here.

(For those interested, the Barnes & Noble that closed at that location in spring 2023 has reopened across the street at 634 Route 17 North.)