Barnes & Noble has said goodbye to two major locations as the nation’s largest retail bookstore continues to grow in other areas.

On Jan. 18, 2026, the Barnes & Noble at Route 59 in Rockland Plaza, Nanuet, NY, will close after 33 years, The U.S. Sun reports. This leaves Rockland County with just one Barnes & Noble at the Palisades Center in West Nyack — a location whose future remains uncertain.

An employee confirmed the closure on Dec. 29, 2025, telling the Rockland County Business Journal the store “couldn’t renew its lease.”

Hundreds of miles south, another Barnes & Noble location is also closing. The store at The Shops at Pembroke Gardens in Pembroke Pines, FL, has been a local fixture for nearly two decades, but announced it will soon close.

“It is with great sadness that we confirm the closure of this Barnes & Noble bookstore, as our lease has ended,” the store shared in a post on Instagram.

“Our last day will be January 18, 2026. We have loved being a part of this neighbourhood, and it has been our honour and privilege to be your bookseller for the last 17 years.”

These closures come as Barnes & Noble continues to explore growth in other regions, reflecting the changing landscape of brick-and-mortar retail.

Barnes & Noble’s sales peaked in 2008 before dropping sharply, forcing the chain to close 150 stores nationwide in the years that followed. But this latest round of closures comes amid a significant comeback.

Sales Surge

Barnes & Noble now operates around 600 stores, sells over 190 million books a year, and remains the largest national retailer of magazines and newspapers.

Per Fast Company, the bookstore opened over 67 new locations in 2025 alone. It had grand openings in 22 states, including Colorado, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Massachusetts, Illinois, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Tennessee, New Jersey, Kansas, Minnesota, and Washington, according to USA Today. Connecticut and Washington each reportedly hosted multiple openings.

USA Today also reports BI Acquisition Co., LLC, a Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Inc. affiliate, plans to buy Books Inc. Additionally, Barnes & Noble could possibly see a return to the stock market following strong sales, The U.S. Sun claims.

“It’s an exciting time for us,” Barnes & Noble said in September 2025 statement, USA Today reports.

“Sales in the new stores with their new design and format are exceeding our forecasts, people are lining up around the block for openings, and with a strong Fall publishing, we expect a great Holiday season.”