BOOK BIND
Barnes & Noble set to close largest location in popular city as shoppers cry, ‘I’m disheartened’ and hold out hope
Another major chain closed down in the same city before reopening
BOOK worms on the West Coast are grappling with the closure of a huge store.
Barnes & Noble announced closing its location in Merced, California, about 60 miles northwest of Fresno in the Central Valley.
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The 21,714-square-foot building, once the city's biggest Barnes & Noble, closes shop before summer on May 12.
It almost shuttered in 2013, until the building's landlord bailed workers out by agreeing to lower the lease.
Merced Mayor Matthew Serratto was surprised to hear about the bookstore's closing.
"It’s terrible news," Serratto told Merced Sun-Star, noting how he was told store closing signs would be displayed around the store soon.
Red more on store closures
"You want to see all businesses thrive in our community, especially a store like that which provides a valuable service."
One shopper named Sarah Boyle said she was devastated when she heard the news.
She said she had fond memories of working at the store in 2010 while in college.
"Now that I’m in the capacity of city council, I’m disheartened to hear it’s happening."
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She spoke with the Barnes & Noble store managers and discovered they'd be open to finding another location in the area.
"My hope [is] that this is a similar situation to Best Buy, when they closed and eventually opened another store in Merced," Boyle said.
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In recent years, Best Buy has closed several of its stores in Tenessee, New York, and California.
Boyle expressed how the workers at Merced's Barnes & Noble never wanted it to close in the first place.
You want to see all businesses thrive in our community, especially a store like that which provides a valuable service
Merced Mayor Matthew Serratto
They said they hope to operate somewhere else in the city at a smaller location.
The U.S. Sun contacted Barnes & Noble for a comment.
CLOSURE CLATTER
Foodies on the East Coast were disheartened to learn another Pizza Hut store closed.
The restaurant in Glens Falls, New York shuttered its doors on March 26 following the closure of other capital area locations in 2023.
Some of the closed pizza place locations include Johnstown, Gloversville, and Amsterdam.
In October 2023, 7 Brew Coffee opened at the former Pizza Hut in Johnstown.
Idaho residents were also sad to see two more Denny's locations close.
The national breakfast chain shuttered restaurants in Nampa and Boise.
During an earnings call Robert Verostek, the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Denny's, said inflation hindered profits.
Easter Sunday store closures
The U.S. Sun covers more retail news to keep shoppers in the know.
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A mega sports chain is shutting doors at every location for a single day this week.
Meanwhile, 50% off sales are hitting a convenience store chain as it closes two stores in the same city.