Barnes & Noble is set to open a new store in Grand Rapids on March 26, located at The Village at Knapp's Crossing. According to FOX 17, the grand opening will begin at 10 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, featuring bestselling author Erin Craig, who will also sign books.

James Daunt, Barnes & Noble CEO, expressed his pleasure in launching what will become the second Barnes & Noble store in Grand Rapids. "We are delighted to be opening this brand-new Barnes & Noble, our second in Grand Rapids," Daunt said in a statement obtained by WOODTV. Attending the grand opening to sign books and trim the ribbon, Erin Craig, the celebrated local author of “The Thirteenth Child” and “House of Roots and Ruin,” makes the event particularly significant for the community.

This expansion reflects a broader growth of the book industry in Grand Rapids, where independent bookstores such as Pages and Grapes and Cellar Bird Books have opened, contributing to the local literary scene. "The book industry is seeing a resurgence," reports WOODTV, substantiating the notions of a growing demand for physical bookshops.

Barnes & Noble plans to open 60 new locations in 2025 as part of its ongoing expansion. The company attributes this growth to a strategic shift that gives individual booksellers more control over their stores, a change that has been well received by customers and staff. "I am very excited to open a new Barnes & Noble bookstore," said Meghann Bromley, the manager of the new Grand Rapids Barnes & Noble store, telling MLive. The new bookstore will be located in a shopping center at The Village at Knapp's Crossing, which is home to at least 34 other businesses, including retailers and restaurants.