Barnes & Noble To Close More Stores: Would You Miss Burnsville's B&N?
The company has announced that it will shut down 20 stores a year over the next decade.
Do you still shop at the Barnes & Noble bookstore in Burnsville?
Apparently not enough people go to B&Ns nationwide.
Company executives told the Wall Street Journal they plan to close 20 stores a year over the next decade. No specific stores have been targeted yet for closure.
In the Twin Cities area, there are 15 Barnes & Noble stores, including one in prominently located at the busiest intersection in Burnsville.
If no new stores were opened, that would reduce the number of Barnes & Noble stores nationwide by a third, the Huffington Post reported.
Since 2003, the company has been closing 15 stores a year, but they've also been opening more than 30 a year. Last year, however, Barnes & Noble closed 14 stores and didn't open any, the Huffington Post reported.
One reason is a steady decline in book sales. Print book sales have decreased 22 percent over the past five years, according to Nielsen BookScan.
If the Burnsville's Barnes & Noble closed, would you miss it? How can bookstores compete more effectively in this electronic age? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.