Barnes & Noble has staged an unlikely comeback. CEO James Daunt shared 4 key lessons from its turnaround.
Barnes & Noble has experienced a successful turnaround under CEO James Daunt, who focused on decentralizing store management and improving local bookseller autonomy. The chain has shifted from closing locations to aggressive expansion, bucking trends in the retail sector.
Why it matters
The company's recovery offers a case study in retail management and the potential for physical bookstores to thrive in a digital-first economy.
Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt. Li Ying/Xinhua via Getty Images Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt has executed an unlikely turnaround at the storied bookstore chain. Daunt said that steady improvements and empowering local booksellers have powered its comeback. He spoke about changing culture, data dangers, mistakes, and the power of authenticity on a podcast. Bookstores might seem old school in the AI era, but Barnes & Noble has staged a fairy-tale comeback under CEO James Daunt. After shrinking to under 600 locations in 2023, the storied American bookstore chain opened 57 locations in 2024 — more than in the entire decade between 2009 and 2019. It expanded by more than 60 stores last year, and it's targeting another 60 this year, it said in a news release this week.
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