Barnes & Noble will reestablish its presence in downtown Seattle next year with a flagship bookstore set to open in the city’s business district.
The new location at 520 Pike Street represents a 10-year lease commitment at the Tishman Speyer building, marking the largest retail lease signed in downtown Seattle since 2020. The lease signals confidence in the urban core’s retail market recovery following years of pandemic-related challenges.
The bookstore is scheduled to open during the first quarter of 2026, bringing the national bookseller back to downtown Seattle. Barnes & Noble’s previous downtown location at Pacific Place closed in January 2020, just before the pandemic fundamentally altered urban retail patterns.
The new space encompasses 17,538 square feet inside the 29-story tower situated at the corner of Pike Street and 6th Avenue. The store will offer an extensive selection of books alongside toys, games, magazines, gift items, and additional merchandise typical of the Barnes & Noble retail experience.
“Barnes & Noble’s return to downtown Seattle is enormous. When a national retailer returns to downtown it’s an indicator of confidence in our center city and the strength of our retail trade area,” said Jon Scholes, president and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association.
Scholes positioned the Barnes & Noble announcement within a broader trend of retail expansion in the downtown corridor. “And that thought is bolstered by other recent openings or expansions of strong brands like SuitSupply, Portland Leather Goods, Arc’teryx, Uniqlo and the soon-to-be open Carmine’s, among others,” he said.
The association leader emphasized positive momentum in downtown Seattle’s recovery. “There is energy in downtown with a record residential population, visitor numbers that are the strongest we’ve seen in six years and more public space amenities coming online that increase our vibrancy. It’s a great time to open shop in downtown Seattle,” Scholes stated.
Barnes & Noble’s downtown Seattle commitment aligns with the company’s broader expansion strategy. The bookseller previously announced plans to open more than 60 bookstores during 2025 alone, driven by strong sales performance early in the year.
The national expansion represents a remarkable reversal for a company that faced existential questions just a few years ago. Barnes & Noble struggled as e-readers and online retailers, particularly Amazon, disrupted traditional book retail. However, the chain has found renewed success by focusing on curated selections, community engagement, and the physical bookstore experience.
Since January, Barnes & Noble has opened several locations across western Washington, demonstrating particular confidence in the Puget Sound region’s book market. New stores have opened in Bellevue, Issaquah, Lakewood, Puyallup, and Seattle’s University District.
The University District location, which opened earlier this year, serves students and residents in one of Seattle’s densest neighborhoods. That store’s success likely informed the decision to return to downtown Seattle, showing demand exists for physical bookstores in urban settings.
The downtown location’s positioning at Pike Street and 6th Avenue places it in the heart of the retail core, near major office buildings, hotels, and transit connections. The accessibility should attract both downtown workers and visitors exploring the city.
The 10-year lease term reflects significant commitment from both Barnes & Noble and the property owner. Such long-term retail commitments have become less common in recent years as businesses sought flexibility amid changing market conditions. The extended lease suggests both parties anticipate stable or improving conditions in downtown Seattle.
Downtown Seattle has experienced uneven recovery since pandemic lockdowns emptied office towers and shuttered businesses. While tourism has rebounded and residential population has grown, office occupancy remains below pre-pandemic levels as remote and hybrid work patterns persist.
Retail performance has varied considerably, with some categories thriving while others struggle. Experiential retail, restaurants, and specialty stores have generally performed better than commodity retailers competing directly with online alternatives.
Bookstores occupy an interesting niche in this landscape. While books can easily be purchased online, many readers value the browsing experience, immediate availability, and community aspects of physical bookstores. Author events, reading groups, and simply discovering unexpected titles create experiences online shopping cannot replicate.
The Pike Street location’s 17,538 square feet provides substantial space for both extensive inventory and community programming. Large-format Barnes & Noble stores typically include comfortable seating areas, in-store cafes, and event spaces that encourage customers to linger beyond quick transactions.
Tishman Speyer, the building’s owner, has secured a significant tenant that will generate consistent foot traffic and activate street-level retail space. The deal represents a vote of confidence in downtown Seattle’s trajectory and provides a flagship tenant that may attract additional retailers to nearby spaces.
The timing of the 2026 opening allows Barnes & Noble to prepare thoroughly while capitalizing on continued downtown momentum. The first quarter opening positions the store to benefit from post-holiday book buying and the beginning of the spring shopping season.
