Barnes & Noble Returns to Downtown Seattle, WA04/29/2026

Author Robin Hobb to Host Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and Book Signing at the Grand Opening at 9AM on Wednesday, May 6^th, 2026

Seattle, WA - April 29, 2026 - Barnes & Noble is thrilled to announce the opening of its new Seattle, WA bookstore on Wednesday, May 6^th. This store returns to Downtown Seattle after the location in Pacific Place closed in January of 2020.

Located at 520 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101, in the former North Face space, the new Barnes & Noble is situated in the heart of downtown, just a couple of blocks from the Convention Center and Pike Place Market. It will offer nearly 18,000 square feet of books, toys, games, magazines, gift items and more.

The new Barnes & Noble bookstore will officially open to the public at 9AM Pacific on Wednesday the 6^th, with local author Robin Hobb cutting the ribbon and signing copies of her popular book, Blood of Dragons: Volume Four of the Rain Wilds Chronicles.

Barnes & Noble Premium and Rewards Members will earn double stamps on all purchases made between May 6^th and 10^th. Customers who are not yet Members are encouraged to sign up and start earning stamps and rewards right away.

Everyone who visits the new Pike Street Barnes & Noble during the grand opening will have access to exclusive deals, like $50 off any NOOK device. Customers can also save 40% on all DVD, Blu-ray, and 4k Ultra HD movies.

"The return of a major bookstore to Downtown Seattle is testament both to the revitalization of the downtown area and the vigor of bookselling generally," said James Daunt, CEO of Barnes & Noble. "The Downtown Seattle Barnes & Noble was for many years a flagship for the bookseller. We are very pleased to restore this again with the new Pike Street bookstore."

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. 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.

The store in Seattle is one of four new stores opening across the country in May, joining stores in Virgina, Texas, and Ohio. Each grand opening has drawn enthusiastic crowds that wrap around the building, filling the store as the ribbon is cut. Having fallen below 600 locations as recently as 2023, it now has over 700 bookstores. In 2025, Barnes & Noble opened more new bookstores in a single year than it had in the whole decade from 2009 to 2019. The bookseller will open over 60 new bookstores in 2026.

Store Manager Michael Kolson, who previously worked at the Pacific Place location, said, "In the past Downtown Barnes and Noble was always a great gateway for people visiting the area. We were able to offer local flair and keepsakes in the forms of books and other merchandise that they could take back with them. Being back in downtown and being able to do so again is a dream come true."

Customers can discover more about upcoming events and news by following @bnpikestwa on social media.

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