Harvard Book Store, Cambridge, Mass., will open a new store in Boston's Prudential Center in the spring of 2023. The location will feature a wide selection of books, a state-of-the-art event space, a large children's book section and a community space. Operating under a long-term lease with Boston Properties, owner of Prudential Center, the new store will be located in the space previously occupied by Barnes & Noble.
"We are delighted to bring Harvard Book Store to the city of Boston, while continuing our long tradition of bookselling at our flagship Cambridge location," said co-owner Jeff Mayersohn. "This is an ambitious project and we think we've established an excellent team to bring it to fruition. We envision it as an important addition to the literary life in the city and a welcoming space serving the many communities of Boston. We thank John and Linda Henry, whose recent investment in our company enables us to expand in this way." John Henry is principal owner of the Boston Red Sox, the Boston Globe, the Liverpool Premier League soccer team and other ventures.
Bryan Koop, executive v-p of Boston Properties for the Boston Region, commented: "We look forward to welcoming Harvard Book Store to Prudential Center. We are particularly excited about providing another home for the bookstore's award-winning event series, which will attract many thousands of visitors annually."
The new store will occupy more than 29,000 square feet in Boston's Back Bay. Project consultants include the design collaborative Bergmeyer, Colliers Project Leaders, and the construction management firm Gilbane Building Company.
In a message to customers, Harvard Book Store co-owners Mayersohn and Linda Seamonson wrote: "This is quite an ambitious project. The new store will comprise nearly 30,000 square feet, a space approximately five times the size of our Cambridge store. The additional space will allow us to do things that we can't accomplish in Cambridge.... The new store is being designed as a warm, welcoming space that will continue our long tradition of commitment to storytelling and the written word and will be a major addition to literary life in Greater Boston."
They also stressed that the new store does not represent a reduced commitment to the flagship Cambridge location: "In fact, in the next few months, we will begin renovation projects in Cambridge that will both improve the use of that space and make it more welcoming for customers, all while continuing our commitment to being a world-class academic bookstore. We will also be updating and enhancing our website at harvard.com."