Credit: Barnes and Noble/Facebook.com
The upcoming Barnes & Noble location at 901 Old York Road in the Jenkintown section of Abington Township has sparked a debate among local residents.
In July, Noble Town Center announced leases with eight major tenants, including Barnes & Noble Booksellers, signaling a significant addition to the shopping center.
Some community members have spoken out against the new book store, posting on the Jenkintown Community Facebook Page, stating “Jenkintown doesn’t need a Barnes & Noble.” As of this writing, the post has received 171 comments and many different reactions.
The poster expressed concern that the large retailer could negatively impact Capricorn Books, a locally owned bookstore.
Capricorn Books, which opened in 2022 at 605 West Avenue, has become an active part of both the Jenkintown and Greater Philadelphia literary communities. The store participates in events such as the Philly Bookstore Crawl, collaborates with the Hiway Theater, and hosts local author signings and other community programs.
The community post’s author, identifying as a former Arcadia University graduate student and ex-Barnes & Noble Willow Grove employee, argued that the new store would be “a small store to give the illusion of abundance” with “no café, no place to sit,” seemingly designed to limit loitering.
The post concludes with a sentiment that has resonated with some residents: “Once BN Jenkintown is open, if you want a book on sale, you go to Barnes & Noble; but if you want an experience, you go to Capricorn Books.”
Other comments include:
"As long as they paid their employees, a living wage with benefits, I see this as a positive thing for the neighborhood. A lot of places got sunk by this devastating ongoing pandemic, so it will be nice to see something actually in where there’s a large vacant store currently."
"I’m very happy to have Barnes and Noble return. It’s a very positive sign for our area."
"I go to the library or Capricorn books every time. Capricorn books is a gem for this community. They can pre-order any book that you want. There is also an independent book shop called Open Book Bookstore on high school road in elkins park. Also a gem for the community. Please support local and do not go to Barnes and Noble!!"
"We took my daughter to Barnes and Noble often and I attribute her advanced reading to her success in school. More book stores, more choices."
