Harvard Book Store Cancels Pru Project
Harvard Book Store, Cambridge, Mass., has dropped plans to open a 29,000-square-feet branch in the Prudential Center in Boston, in a space that Barnes & Noble occupied for several decades. Harvard Book Store had announced the project soon after B&N's closing in 2022 and soon after John W. Henry, principal owner of the Boston Red Sox, the Boston Globe, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Liverpool Premier League soccer team and other ventures, and his wife, Linda Henry, became investors in the bookstore.
In a letter to customers, Harvard Book Store said, "Despite exploring all available options, the lingering effects of the pandemic have continued to create considerable challenges for construction projects of this size and scope. With ongoing disruptions to the supply chain and escalating costs, our ambitious 29,000-square-foot expansion would ultimately prove unsustainable." The new store would have been five times the size of the Cambridge store.
The store plans to focus on "updates at our flagship location in Harvard Square, projects we have been planning in parallel with the Prudential store. Our goal is to enhance the in-store experience, while continuing to enrich our commitment to customer service, our flourishing author event series, and our excellent inventory."
The store noted that "while we are disappointed in this outcome, we are grateful to the many talented and creative individuals who worked with us along the way. Most of all, we're grateful to the literary community of Boston who have expressed so much support in anticipation of a second Harvard Book Store location." The store also thanked "our partners, John and Linda Henry, whose continuing support for our bookstore makes these projects possible."
Jeff Mayersohn, who in 2008 bought the store with his wife, Linda Seamonson, told the Boston Globe that store sales had recently returned to "where we were prior to the pandemic," thanks to a growing number of customers and hundreds of events and author readings last year.
And Linda Henry, CEO of the Globe, told the newspaper that the couple is "continuing to invest in Harvard Book Store to ensure that it remains a thriving, sustainable hub for readers, writers, and community voices. Like the Globe, Harvard Book Store serves an important civic role. Just as local, independent journalism is vital to our region and our democracy, local independent bookstores are important cultural pillars in our community."