Barnes & Noble Opens New Store in Oak Park, IL

Author Mia P. Manansala to Host Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and Book Signing at the Grand Opening at 10AM on Wednesday, July 1^st, 2026

Oak Park, IL – June 24^th, 2026 -Barnes & Noble is very pleased to announce the opening of its new Oak Park, IL bookstore on Wednesday, July 1^st.  This is the third new store to open in the Chicagoland area this year and will be soon joined by a fourth, opening on State Street in Downtown Chicago later this summer.

The new Barnes & Noble occupies the historic Marshall Field’s building which was landmarked to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The building also has a storied bookselling history, having been a flagship bookstore for Borders until the business closed in 2011. The new bookstore offers nearly 24,000 square feet of books, gifts, games, newsstand and media, together with a café, in what is a stunningly beautiful store. The store address is 1144 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL 60301.

Barnes & Noble Oak Park will officially open to the public at 10AM Central on Wednesday the 1^st, with local author Mia P. Manansala cutting the ribbon and signing copies of her exciting mystery book, Death and Dinuguan. The Cat in the Hat will also be in attendance to add to the festivities.

Barnes & Noble Premium and Rewards Members will earn double stamps on all purchases made between July 1^st and 5^th. Customers who are not yet Members are encouraged to sign up and start earning stamps and rewards right away.

Everyone who visits the new Oak Park Barnes & Noble during the grand opening will have access to exclusive deals, like $50 off any NOOK device. Customers can also save 40% on all DVD, Blu-ray, and 4k Ultra HD movies.

“Opening new bookstores is always exciting and never more so than when in wonderful physical spaces,” said James Daunt, CEO of Barnes & Noble. “We have one of the most beautiful bookstores in the United States in Wicker Park and now challenge it for sheer drama with this extraordinary bookstore in Oak Park. Better still, we make it a hat-trick of sensational spaces when we open on State Street later this summer. We could not be prouder as Chicago reclaims its bookselling heritage in style.”

The bookseller is experiencing strong sales in its existing stores and has been opening many new stores after more than 15 years of declining store numbers. Barnes & Noble has opened four stores in as many weeks, working toward opening 60 stores in 2026. Barnes & Noble now boasts 712 bookstores, having been below 600 stores as recently as 2023.

Store Manager Cory Starkovich, who has been with Barnes and Noble for 19 years said, “When it comes down to it, we're just a group of people who love books and bookselling, and we are so excited to have this wonderful store to share with other book lovers.”

Customers can discover more about upcoming events and news by following @bnoakparkil on social media.

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