Barnes and Noble has returned to The Walk of Coral Springs
On Wednesday, October 6th, Barnes and Noble of The Walk had a grand opening. It experienced a busy influx of customers, from an array of cheerful children hopping around in the Young Reader’s section to excited teens and seniors teeming in the fiction section. Everything from gifts for readers to vinyl records are still found in this utopia for bookworms.
Barnes and Noble’s swift return was much awaited after its announcement of closing doors back on February 15th, 2020, for redevelopment of the building where it is located. Its leaving was much felt by Coral Springs Charter teachers and students. “I was very upset when I heard that Barnes and Nobles was closing. That building has been the center of The Walk for so many years and for me it has been a great spot to hang out and read,” said Foreign Language teacher Maria Ysern.
Now, the bookstore’s chic style provides customers with a fresh look of how “to the times” Barnes and Noble has gotten. “Although it is the smallest Barnes and Noble I have been to, it was larger than I expected it to be,” said Social Studies teacher Shannon Wilde-Johansson. “Definitely more modern in its aesthetic, too. I know some people were not fans of the new condensed inventory, however I didn’t mind it.”
Autumn has even creeped its way into the bookstore with its opening occurring in the spooky season of October, with a section dedicated to spell books, Halloween merch and other related collectibles. Further additions of book sections were seen in Barnes and Noble such as a ‘Best of Coral Springs’ where staff are able to write on notecards, including recommendations on books such as Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist and Donna Tartt’s, The Secret History.
While it will never be back to its former glory, I think the new place is cozy and organized.
— Ysern
A BookTok section is even available for the increase in book readers from social media platforms. “Almost every book there is on BookTube, BookTok, or some best seller list and I appreciated that,” said Wilde-Johansson.
Senior Rameen Awan valued this branching out of the Barnes and Noble section. “I feel like they relate better to their audience now, considering the YA section, BookTok section, and collection of Mangas,” said Awan.
Despite the refreshing structure of Barnes and Noble, there were noticeable features missing from the traditional, nostalgic bookstore many have grown up to know. “While it will never be back to its former glory, I think the new place is cozy and organized,” said Ysern. “I might miss the café and the pastries a bit, but I will still visit as often as I can.”
The bookstore it makes up for what it lacks in its wonderfully open concept organization of shelves. “I think the new Barnes and Noble is more organized and has maximized every inch of space they can spare,” said Ysern. “I feel like the old Barnes and Noble lacked organization at times. I do believe the new space won’t have as wide variety as the old store but I believe the essence of the store is still present.”
As usual for any Barnes and Noble, the staff were welcoming and helpful as ever. Hopefully the return of this beloved cornerstone of the reader community is one that will encourage crowds of new young readers and the unification of a diverse fan base for books.
