What with it being Banned Books Week and me posting yesterday about how much people are reading for pleasure less, it’s altogether unusual that a bookstore chain is doing well… well enough to befuddle no end of retail analysts in the age of inveterate online shopping.
Now, I posted about Barnes & Noble’s curious resurgence back in January 2025, but guess what? It’s still going strong as per this eight-minute video for Fortune:
I have to admit, I find the business model fascinating as it makes me wonder how other companies might fare. For example, would B&N’s hyper localization work for a chain of movie theaters? For restaurants? Are there other examples of business chains that emphasize how to support the individual stores which they empower to be individual for the community they’re in rather than conform to corporate mandates? Will its IPO, which I believe will still happen later this year, erode all this CEO-led progress turning the page?
(That last question is for all the readers who missed my excessive puns in my last B&N post: you’re welcome).