Business & Tech

No Plans to Close Walpole Barnes & Noble, Spokeswoman Says

After reports that Barnes & Noble plans to close one-third of its retail stores in the next decade, a B&N spokeswoman said there are no plans to close their Walpole location.

After reports that Barnes & Noble may be closing one-third of its retail stores in the next decade, a B&N spokeswoman said there are no plans to close their Route 1 location in Walpole.

According to an article in Monday's Wall Street Journal, Barnes & Noble's top retail executive Mitchell Klipper said that the company plans the closure of at least 20 stores a year for the next 10 years.

It currently has 689 retail stores.

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Spokeswoman Mary Ellen Keating said, despite the Journal article, the book selling giant has not changed their approach to closing retail locations.

"Barnes & Noble has not adjusted its store closing plan whatsoever. The Wall Street Journal article [Monday] implies that our rate of store closures has changed. We have historically closed approximately 15 stores per year for the last 10 years," she said.

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Keating said that stores are generally closed because they are unprofitable or are relocated to "better properties."

Walpole's Barnes & Noble store is located at 82 Providence Highway at the Walpole Mall.

"Barnes & Noble has great real estate in prime locations and the Company’s management is fully committed to the retail concept for the long term,” she said.

"We have no plans to close our Walpole store," Keating said.


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