March 24, 2006

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Barnes & Noble opens at Eastridge

March 14 ribbon-cutting ceremony signals store’s arrival in Evergreen

By Diego Abeloos
Editor

It’s here.

Barnes & Noble at Eastridge opened its doors to an anticipative crowd on March 14 to celebrate the book retailer’s arrival in the Evergreen area.

District 8 council member Dave Cortese (right) cut the ribbon with Barnes & Noble Eastridge store manager Lisa Stephens (center) and the store’s community relations manager, Mike Koller on March 14.

“It’s a very exciting day,” said Eastridge General Manager John Petersen. “We (General Growth Properties, Inc.) purchased this center back in 1999 and we started talking about renovation in 2000. We did a lot of market research and focus groups, and we asked people involved in the research what kind of stores they’d like to see at Eastridge. Barnes & Noble was right up there, among the top stores that were asked for.”

Customers on hand for the celebration, which included a ribbon-cutting ceremony to kick things off, were treated to cake, cookies and coffee drink samples from the bookstore’s café while shopping. In addition, shoppers were serenaded by the Benny Torres Jazz Trio, as well as the St. John Vianney School choir throughout the three-hour event.

On hand for the event was District 8 council member Dave Cortese, who ceremoniously cut the red ribbon with the help of store manager Lisa Stephens and Barnes & Noble Eastridge Community Relation Manager Mike Koller.

Cortese said the need for a bookstore in Evergreen – which previously had no major book retailer in the area – was great.

“It’s a huge day for Evergreen,” Cortese said. “If you go back to community input over the last decade … you‘d see over and over again that this was high up on the wish list from people. I’m just very grateful that the Eastridge folks persevered and went out to make this deal happen.”

A crowd of shoppers flood through the doors on March 14 during a celebration for the opening of Barnes & Noble at Eastridge. A portion of the sales from the store’s opening night went to the Evergreen Elementary School District. Photo by Jeff Frazee

For Petersen, getting Barnes & Noble to open its doors comes down to one thing – location.

“When you consider logistically that the nearest bookstores are in Almaden Valley and over on Steven Creek Boulevard, it was a shame to us that there wasn’t a bookstore closer to serve this community,” he said. “This is a big piece in the rejuvenation of Eastridge Mall.”

And while celebrating the opening of the new store, shoppers who took part in the store opening were also making a difference with their purchases. A portion of the night’s sales went directly to the Evergreen Elementary School District – a total of just over $1,000, according to Koller.

The new Barnes & Noble, which is located between the AMC Theatres and JC Penny, is situated in a retail space of more than 27,000 square feet. The bookstore stocks close to 200,000 different book, music, DVD and magazine selections.

The store, which took approximately three weeks to set up, will also have ongoing promotions, such as the Educator Discount Card, entitling teachers 20 percent off purchases for the classroom.

In addition, Barnes & Noble Eastridge is also offering events weekly, such as story times for toddlers and young children, held three days per week. The new store will also introduce book clubs for adults and children beginning in May.