Barnes & Noble expanding in Pierce County with second store. Here’s where
This seems to be the year a national bookstore chain opens a long-planned store at South Hill Mall.
After announcing plans for opening more than 60 new stores nationwide this year, Barnes & Noble appears set to expand its offerings in Pierce County.
A listing on its website shows a new store planned for South Hill Mall, 3500 S. Meridian, Unit No. 800, Puyallup. According to its website, it is scheduled to open in October 2025.
Tenant improvement/remodeling permitting on file with the City of Puyallup was filed Jan. 6.
Joe Bell is the director of corporate communications for the mall’s owner, Ohio-based Cafaro. In response to questions from The News Tribune, Bell said via email early Tuesday that while they did not have a precise opening date, the store “will occupy more than 19,000 square feet near JCPenney and DSW.” The store also will include a cafe.
The store apparently has been in the works for awhile. The first social-media announcement appears to have been posted February 2024, with a “Coming Soon” post. A similar post appeared on Instagram in September.
In a February news release about a separate opening, the company noted, “In 2024, Barnes & Noble opened more new bookstores in a single year than it had in the whole decade from 2009 to 2019. The bookseller expects to open over 60 new bookstores in 2025.”
It opened 57 stores last year.
The release added, “Barnes & Noble is enjoying a period of tremendous growth as the strategy to hand control of each bookstore to its local booksellers has proven so successful. The bookseller is experiencing strong sales in its existing stores and has been opening many new stores after more than 15 years of declining store numbers.”
The chain currently has one store in Pierce County at Lakewood Towne Center. That store is moving next to where the former Dressbarn was located at the shopping center. The move is to make way for new apartments. The store’s new address will be 10330 59th Ave. SW, Unit A.
The store website lists that opening in May, and its Facebook page has previewed the interior.
Meanwhile, its current store, 5711 Main St. SW, is holding a sale on remaining items.
Story has been updated with additional details.
This story was originally published April 29, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
