Barnes & Noble has opened its new bookstore in Panama City Beach, Fla. Located in Pier Park North at 15500 Panama City Beach Pkwy., the store was officially opened to the public with author Michael Lister cutting the ribbon and signing copies of his books.
"Residents remember the Borders bookstore in Pier Park and have petitioned us to open here," B&N said. "We listened and the positive feedback we have received since announcing our new bookstore here has been wonderful. We are delighted to add our new Panama City Beach location to a growing list of stunning new bookstores to open this year."
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This summer, Barnes & Noble is moving its Naples, Fla., bookstore in the Waterside Shops to Park Shore Plaza, about a mile south, Gulf Shore Business reported.
The new B&N location is a former Big Lots store between Saks Off Fifth and HomeGoods stores that at 35,000 square feet is significantly larger than its current store of about 24,000 square feet and larger than many new B&N stores across the country.
The current B&N has been in the Waterside Shops in a free-standing building for more than 30 years. B&N was an original tenant and has been a junior anchor since 1992.
Janine Flanigan, senior director of store planning and design for B&N, told Gulf Shore Business that there will not be a long period between the one location closing and the other opening. "We're looking at probably a week lag between the two just so that we can move the store team over, and they've had a chance to close out the old store and then get into the new store and get set up there." Flanigan added that the move will probably take place in late July.