Iconic bookseller to reopen former Borders location in downtown Chicago
Barnes & Noble will open a multilevel bookstore at 150 N. State St. in Chicago this summer. (Brett Bulthuis/CoStar)
Barnes & Noble is continuing its nationwide revival by securing a major retail location on Chicago’s historic State Street, further strengthening its presence in the city and across the United States. The renowned bookstore chain announced plans to open a large, multi-level Barnes & Noble store this summer at 150 N. State St., a space once occupied by rival bookseller Borders.
The approximately 31,000-square-foot retail space has remained vacant since Old Navy vacated the property in 2022. Before that, it served as a flagship Borders bookstore until the chain filed for bankruptcy and shut down operations in 2011.
Barnes & Noble Expansion in Chicago and Across the U.S.
Located on one of Chicago’s most recognizable shopping corridors, the State Street bookstore is part of a broader Barnes & Noble expansion strategy aimed at revitalizing brick-and-mortar book retail nationwide. The store will occupy the ground level of a 16-story historic office tower, situated next to the well-known Nederlander Theatre, further enhancing downtown Chicago’s retail landscape.
According to the company, Barnes & Noble is on track to open 65 new U.S. stores in 2025, expanding its network to more than 650 bookstore locations nationwide. These stores range in size from compact 4,000-square-foot neighborhood formats to expansive 30,000+ square-foot flagship stores.
Major Urban Returns Signal Retail Revival
In recent years, Barnes & Noble has made several high-profile returns to major urban centers. Notable deals include reopening stores in downtown Washington, D.C., which it exited in 2015, and downtown Seattle, where it had closed its location in 2020. The Seattle lease, spanning 17,538 square feet, was among the largest downtown retail leases signed since 2020.
Additional Chicago-Area Store Openings
Beyond State Street, Barnes & Noble is expanding throughout the Chicago metropolitan area:
- An 18,000-square-foot store at 1524 E. 55th St. on Chicago’s South Side, opening early this year
- A 20,000-square-foot bookstore in the former Marshall Field and Company Building at 1144 Lake St. in Oak Park, scheduled to open later this spring
- A relocated 22,000-square-foot Barnes & Noble store inside Westfield Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, spanning two levels
Notably, both the Oak Park and State Street locations are former Borders bookstores, highlighting Barnes & Noble’s strategy of reclaiming iconic retail spaces.
Continued Momentum Into 2025
In late 2024, Barnes & Noble also finalized deals to move into the former Noel State Bank building in Wicker Park and to return to another historic property in Washington, D.C., where a store closed in 2011. That same year, the company opened a new North Side Chicago store just steps away from a previous Barnes & Noble location—further underscoring its renewed confidence in physical retail.
With multiple store openings and strategic relocations, Barnes & Noble’s comeback reflects a growing demand for experiential retail and community-focused bookstores in major U.S. cities.
