Barnes & Noble Opens New Store Prototype at The Village of Rochester Hills

Rochester Hills now has Two Barnes & Noble Bookstores

Front of store view from outside showing it's a corner location

Barnes & Noble Opens New Store Prototype in Rochester Hills, Michigan, at The Village of Rochester Hills

Barnes & Noble, Inc.,the world’s largest retail bookseller, opened a new store prototype at The Village of Rochester Hills (200 N. Adams Road) on March 27. This will be the first new prototype store in Michigan. Local author, columnist, and radio personality, Mitch Albom, was the location’s first book signing and author appearance on Wednesday.

Mitch holds a microphone to his mouth as he speaks to a crowd at the new bookstore

Celebrating the opening of a new Barnes & Noble in the The Village of Rochester Hills

Albom spoke of how important libraries and bookstores are and how they contain much of the world’s knowledge in one location. He told stories of his trips to the library as a kid. Mitch also spoke about his new book, The Next Person you Meet in Heaven, a fictional story and sequel to his book, The Five People you Meet in Heaven. His next book is due out in November, a non-fiction book called Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family. He personally signed copies for a couple of hours – at least 100 people waited in line for a quick chat and to have their book autographed by Albom. All of his books are available at Barnes & Noble Bookstores.

“We could not be more excited to be opening a new store prototype at The Village of Rochester Hills as part of our ongoing testing of new stores across the country,” said Frank Morabito, Vice President, Stores, Barnes & Noble. “This new prototype will offer a clean, contemporary design that is easy to shop and friendly to our customers. 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.”

Albom signs books for people waiting in line

Mitch Albom at the New Barnes & Noble in Rochester Hills

The 14,000-square-foot store features modern design aesthetics, including oak bookshelves and a mix of wood-grain tile and carpet throughout. Lower profile bookshelves will provide customers with a panoramic view of the store, contributing to an open and airy feel. 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.

The Children’s Section – with a LEGO activity table and dedicated Storytime space – creates a special environment for Barnes & Noble’s youngest customers. A whimsical “jungle gym” display feature, built specially for toys and popular children’s characters, adds a sense of fun to the space.

LEGO blocks sit on a lowrise table

The Children’s Section

From community seating around a table to individual comfortable chairs, customers of all ages will have a variety of seating options throughout the store, allowing them to curl up alone with a good book or gather with a small group of friends.

The Café at Barnes & Noble at The Village of Rochester Hills features a brand-new look and offers a wide selection of Starbucks beverages, including nitro coffee, in addition to fresh baked goods, savory sandwiches, flatbreads, quiches and a soup of the day. Healthy grab-and-go snacks are also available. Patrons can choose from a variety of informal seating options, including outdoor seating on the plaza and a community worktable.

Two people into the display case of bakery items

The Café at Barnes & Noble at The Village of Rochester Hills

The booksellers at Barnes & Noble at The Village of Rochester Hills will be equipped with tablets to help them assist customers anywhere in the store. This new technology will allow booksellers to help customers with product selection and easily locate books on the store floor. Self-serve kiosks throughout the store also will enable customers to research, discover and locate books throughout the store.

Opening Weekend Author Signings

  • Kasey Pierce – Friday, March 29, 7:00 p.m.
  • Stephen Mack Jones – Saturday, March 30, 5:00 p.m.
  • Karen Bell-Brege & Darrin Brege – Sunday, March 31, 1:00 p.m.
Inside view of the new bookstore with grand opening sign and people looking at books

Barnes & Noble at The Village of Rochester Hills

Barnes & Noble at The Village of Rochester Hills is dedicated to supporting the community and hosting events of interest to customers, from book fairs for local schools to book signings and Storytimes. A 700-square-foot flexible event space will be ideal for author events and book signings. Contact Barnes & Noble at The Village of Rochester Hills at 248-841-2751 or visit their Facebook Page for more details on events and activities.

About Michael Dwyer

Michael Dwyer is a freelance content provider. Michael writes about happenings in the Rochester area, travels across Michigan and destinations around the world. Contact him at michael@rochestermedia.com.

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