Barnes & Noble is acquiring a small regional bookstore chain, the third such acquisition in as many years, the company announced. The stores being acquired are operated by Joseph-Beth Booksellers, which has stores and restaurants in Lexington, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Joseph-Beth owner Robert Langley described the sale as “necessary.” “This decision was made for the continued success of Joseph-Beth Booksellers,” he said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “For 40 years, Joseph-Beth has been more than a bookstore. It has been a gathering place for readers, families, local authors, teachers and neighbors. In honoring its importance to the communities its two stores serve and to support its future longevity, this decision was necessary.”
Barnes & Noble will retain Joseph-Beth booksellers, author event team, community and event programming staff, and restaurant servers, according to the announcement.
The Barnes & Noble acquisitions in 2024 and 2025 were both made after the chains had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection: five-store Denver-area chain Tattered Cover in 2024 (see “B&N Buying Bookstore Chain“), and nine-store Bay area chain Books Inc. in 2025.
Barnes & Noble planned to open 60 new stores in 2026, bringing its total after closings to 740, as it preps for an initial public offering (see “B&N Edges Closer to IPO“).
Source: ICv2
