Interesting Facts on the World’s Biggest Bookstore

The largest bookstore in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records is America’s Barnes & Noble headquartered at Fifth Avenue, New York City. 

History of Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble was founded in the year 1886 by William Barnes, G Clifford Noble, and Charles M Barnes. Today, they operate around 769 campus bookstores in the US. There is a Barnes & Noble in every American state. It has a great legacy and is considered not only the biggest bookstore in the US but also the largest in the world. In 2019, it was acquired by the Elliott Management Corporation. 

Facts About the Biggest Bookstore in the World

1. It is said that Barnes & Noble sells around 155 million books every year through its retail stores and website.
2. In 1998, when the producers of the hit flick You’ve Got Mail that stars Tom Hanks approached Barnes & Noble for shooting the film in the store, the retail giant turned down the offer. 
3.  Barnes & Noble is the first American bookstore to advertise on television. Their ad appeared in 1974 through an advertising agency, Geer Dubois. However, it couldn’t continue to spend so much money on advertising further.
4. Barnes & Noble opened its website barnesandnoble.com for online sales in the year 1997. Ever since it has remained a rival to Amazon. Amazon sued the former for infringement of its business method patent. 
5. Along with shopping for books, you can also sit and read in any Barnes &  Noble bookstore. They have cafes and restrooms for buyers to relax and spend time in the store.
6. In the year 2011, Barnes & Noble took away nearly 100 DC comics from its collection. This move was done after Warner Bros’ exclusive digital deal with Amazon Kindle.
7. Barnes & Noble was probably one of the first bookstore retailers to play music in the backdrop while purchasing a book. It was something new at that time and was well-received by the customers.