Barnes & Noble bookstore set to close Merced store. Here’s when and what we know.
Merced’s biggest bookstore will shut its doors soon.
Barnes & Noble will be closing its Merced location on May 12, according to a store manager.
The 21,714-square-foot store is located at 1720 W. Olive Street, and has been opened since 2004.
“It’s my understanding that they will be putting up ‘store closing’ signs relatively soon and closing up,” said Merced Mayor Matthew Serratto. “It’s terrible news. You want to see all businesses thrive in our community, especially a store like that which provides a valuable service.”
The Merced store manager who didn’t want to give his name referred questions about the store closing to the corporate office. E-mails sent to Barnes & Noble weren’t returned on Wednesday.
This isn’t the first time Barnes & Noble came close to closing the Merced location. The company was set to close the store in 2013 before reaching a deal with the landlord on a reduced lease.
Merced City Council Member Sarah Boyle was upset to hear the bookstore closing.
“I’m extremely sad to hear the news,” Boyle said. “Part of it is because I actually worked there while I was going to Merced College back in 2010 before transferring to Fresno State. Some of the people I worked with are still there today. Now that I’m in the capacity of city council, I’m disheartened to hear it’s happening.”
Boyle said she has talked to managers and the store and there is hope that Barnes & Noble will find another location in Merced.
“My hope that this is a similar situation to Best Buy, when they closed and eventually opened another store in Merced,” Boyle said. “Talking to the local manager, Barnes & Noble wants to stay in Merced. What I’ve been told is they still want to be in the Merced market. They never wanted to close. They have to find another, smaller location that suits them.”
Boyle is one of those people who likes to go exploring for new books and spending an hour or two in Barnes & Noble.
“I just like a book,” Boyle said. “I don’t want to read on a Kindle or Nook. I still like a physical book in my hand and I’m sure a lot of people do too.”
Serratto says Barnes & Noble closing isn’t a sign that businesses are struggling in Merced. He pointed to the recent opening of Chili’s Grill and Bar and Olive Garden, and the construction of two new shopping centers in Merced.
Yosemite Crossing has seen businesses open like Yosemite Station, Crumbl Cookies, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, The Habit Burger Grill, Kabab City, Starbucks, Jamba Juice and Sprouts Farmer Markets.
Campus Parkway Plaza recently opened a Chipotle Mexican Grill, Tractor Supply Company, McDonald’s and Starbucks.
The City of Merced also recently announced Chick-fil-A will be coming.
“The sales tax receipts in Merced have never been higher,” Serratto said. “I think businesses overall in Merced are doing well. At the same time you hate to lose a business like this in the community.”
