Many Arlington residents are fond of a staple store in The Crossing shopping district of Clarendon: the Barnes and Nobles bookstore that has resided there for almost two decades. However, many may not have noticed the red ‘final sale’ stickers plaguing the store since the beginning of this year and, more recently, the piles of empty shelves stacked around the venue.
The bookstore at 2800 Clarendon Boulevard closes on May 23rd for renovations that are estimated to last through 2026. The bookstore will lose around half of its space, vacating 10,000 square feet on the first floor and moving into the 14,000 square foot second floor.
According to Janine Flanigan, the Vice President of store planning and design at Barnes and Noble, B&N renovates or relocates for a multitude of reasons, often seeking a more modern experience for their customers where expiring leases provide an opportunity to refurbish stores. This includes the Clarendon Barnes and Noble, which she says “is modeled in our new design, seen in our most recent openings, including Georgetown.” One major difference includes the Barnes and Noble Cafe, a beloved section which will not be part of the new store. However, all other sections such as the gifts, toys, vinyl, and children’s areas will remain alongside the books.
The ground level is expected to be taken over by Three Noch’d Brewing Company, a local brewery and axe-throwing venue. Three Noch’d plans to install a kitchen, full taproom, and a whisky distillery in addition to an axe-throwing section. The brewery has also reported they will be selling liquor in order for customers to consume their products. Before these developments, open alcohol consumption was only allowed across Washington Boulevard with Clarendon’s other restaurants and bars. It is unclear how these rules will affect Three Noch’d.
Many locals have agreed that this will have profound impacts on the environment of The Crossing, a children’s park just in front of Barnes and Noble and the family-friendly atmosphere generally. Many community members refer to the bookstore as a keystone of life in Arlington, such as HB student Lina Kleeklamp, whose grandfather used to bring her to Barnes and Noble after school and who grew up with the store to the point of recognizing longtime staff members.
These changes came with a wave of other renovations, the Barnes and Noble in the Tysons Corner shopping mall closing for downsizing in May of 2024 as well. That store is transferring from a two-floor, 30,000 square foot location, which they’ve occupied since 2005, to a single-floor, 17,000 square foot space across the mall. Physical bookstores, from local businesses to chains like Borders, have closed down rapidly with the rise of e-commerce like Amazon and competing giants like Target. In fact, the number of bookstores has roughly halved from 1998 to 2019, going from 12,151 to 6,045. In 2021, that number had gone down to 5,591. A rise in competition, along with a significant increase in commercial real estate prices following the global economic change, have left book stores struggling. However, many agree that surviving physical bookstores do not just promote literature, but create an environment to read, work, and socialize for the local community.
The new inhabitants, and the absence of the bookstore in the coming year, will likely have significant impacts on current and future Clarendon. While Arlington residents are sorry to see the store that has served the community for so long leave, they are also eager to view the transformation of a landmark in the neighborhood. The Barnes and Noble in the Crossing Clarendon is expected to re-open in June of 2026, likely in time for the summer and beginning of academic year 2026-2027.
