{"id":198363,"date":"2025-09-04T02:06:15","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T02:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/198363\/"},"modified":"2025-09-04T02:06:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T02:06:15","slug":"barnes-noble-to-acquire-books-inc-saving-174-year-old-store-from-bankruptcy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/198363\/","title":{"rendered":"Barnes & Noble to acquire Books Inc., saving 174-year-old store from bankruptcy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Books Inc. will live on \u2014 as a Barnes & Noble brand. The 174-year-old local chain, which filed for bankruptcy early this year<\/a>, announced Wednesday a proposed sale to the bookselling behemoth.<\/p>\n

The sale, which must be approved this fall by a bankruptcy court, is valued at $3.25 million. Books Inc. would keep its name and branding.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis agreement will ensure that Books Inc.\u2019s legacy will continue for the foreseeable future,\u201d said Andy Perham, CEO since 2019. \u201cWith Barnes & Noble\u2019s deep resources and world-class support, Books Inc. will be able to quickly modernize its operations so we can focus on what we do best: connecting people with books, ideas, and each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under the proposed deal, Books Inc. would preserve its seven neighborhood locations, as well as two stores at San Francisco International Airport. The company was forced to close its Berkeley location in February as part of its restructuring efforts.<\/p>\n

Customers will maintain their loyalty points, which will transfer to Barnes & Noble\u2019s system, and gift cards will continue to be honored.<\/p>\n

Founded in 1851, Books Inc. has weathered the Civil War, two world wars, the Great Depression, and the rise of Amazon and online retail. The chain was once headquartered in San Francisco and operated dozens of locations across California, but has been steadily contracting in recent years as independent bookstores nationwide face mounting pressures from ecommerce, rising rents, and changing reading habits.<\/p>\n

Independent bookstores nationwide continue to struggle amid high costs. However, there have been bright spots, such as when employees of the former Folio Books in Noe Valley launched a crowdfunding campaig<\/a>n in November and reopened at Noe Valley Books.<\/p>\n

\u201cBooks Inc. is not going away,\u201d Perham emphasized in January<\/a>, when the bankruptcy filing was announced.<\/p>\n