Barnes & Noble Inc. today opened a new prototype store, the first of its kind in Michigan, at 200 N. Adams Rd. in The Village of Rochester Hills.
The 14,000-square-foot store features modern design aesthetics, including oak bookshelves and a mix of wood-grain tiles and carpeting. Lower-profile bookshelves will provide customers with a panoramic view of the store, contributing to an open and airy feel, according to the company.
Two large “book theaters” invite customers to discover books in a new 360-degree experience. Illuminated bookcases are incorporated into the store to further enhance discovery.
“This new prototype will offer a clean, contemporary design that is easy to shop and friendly to our customers,” says Frank Morabito, vice president of Stores at Barnes & Noble. “It will feature a full assortment of books at its core, with an amazing selection of educational toys and games, family games and puzzles, and curated gift items for avid readers.”
The store features a children’s section with a LEGO activity table and dedicated story-time space and “jungle gym” display feature, community seating around a table, and individual comfortable reading chairs. It is equipped with tablets to help employees assist customers anywhere in the store with product selection and easily locate books on the store floor.
Self-serve kiosks enable customers to research, discover, and locate books throughout the store. It also has a 700-square-foot flexible event space for school book fairs, book signings, and story times.
The new store’s Café offers Starbucks beverages, baked goods, sandwiches, flatbreads, quiches, and a soup of the day as well as healthy grab-and-go snacks.
