Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Barnes & Noble superstore promises anything in print

Soon, readers of the Jerusalem Post will be able to pick up a copy in Henderson.

They'll find it in the periodicals section of the new Barnes & Noble superstore, opening Wednesday at the Crossroads Plaza on Stephanie Street near Sunset Road.

The shelves of the 27,000-square-foot store will be stocked with periodicals, newspapers from everywhere and, of course, books -- more than 150,000 titles.

Company officials say if you can't find what you're looking for and it's in print, Barnes & Noble can order it.

The store will feature a wide variety of books on business and computers. The store's overall selection includes work from more than 10,000 publishers, including small independent publishers and university presses.

Manager Pete Scott pointed out that like all Barnes & Noble superstores, this one will introduce customers to the works of first-time novelists through the company's "Discover Great New Writers" program.

"We'll showcase more than 100 titles a year," he said.

There's also a music department with 50,000 CDs and tapes of classical, opera, jazz and blues; the Software Etc. department with a huge selection of CD-ROM titles, PC software, video games and how-to videocassettes; and a children's department with more than 15,000 titles.

The music department also features a Muze electronic music catalogue -- a computerized touch-sensitive customer kiosk with information about artists, CDs and songs, and where CDs are located in the store.

More than 100 CDs are available at listening stations.

"And we're more than a bookstore. We're really a meeting place for the community," said Scott, as he sank into one of the store's comfy overstuffed armchairs.

Scott said the store's community relations manager is busy setting up free events that will interest a wide range of customers.

"We'll be having children's story hours to maybe a mystery night, book clubs, seminars, poetry readings, exhibits and business talks. Whatever is of interest to people," he said. "And we have a very homey environment. We have people fall asleep in our chairs. It feels more like a library than a bookstore."

Adding to the hominess will be an attached Starbucks Cafe, opening later this spring, which means browsers can sip and munch their way around the store. Or, patrons can sit at inside or outside cafe tables.

"We want people to come in, relax and read our books. You don't have to buy anything. We're upscale in atmosphere but not in price," Scott said.

Barnes & Noble is the leading retail bookseller in the country. As of Feb. 24, the company operated 365 superstore and 637 mall bookstores. The company also owns Bookstar, of which there are two in Las Vegas.

A different subsidiary of Barnes & Noble provides books to the UNLV bookstore.

Nevada's only other Barnes & Noble superstore is in Reno, although a new one is scheduled to open in northwest Las Vegas in October. That store will have everything but a music department.

Scott is the only one of the Henderson store's 35 employees who is not from the area. He said the company's philosophy is to hire local booklovers as booksellers.

The new store will be conducting a preopening Friends and Family Night open to the public tonight from 7-10 with music and refreshments.

Barnes & Noble Henderson will be open 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

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