Business & Tech

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.

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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.

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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.


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