Explore NYC: Barnes & Noble

The store’s manager, Kenneth Tan, poses in front of books. ℅ Lylah Patel

The 86th Street area has always been filled with neighborhood staples like H&M, Best Buy, Sephora, and Shake Shack, all of which Dalton students visit frequently. In the past couple years, though, there have been a few new additions like Target, Panera, and now, Barnes & Noble. But while the Barnes & Noble may be new to its location on 87th and 3rd Avenue, it is not a stranger to the neighborhood. In fact, it used to be located on 86th between Lexington and 3rd Avenue, where the beloved Target is now. In order to learn more about the store’s reappearance in the neighborhood, The Daltonian sat down with the manager, Kenneth Tan, to discuss his hopes for the new location.

Why did you choose to rejoin this neighborhood?

When the old store closed, a lot of the neighborhood and customers were devastated that we were gone and that we never came back. Other locations, from the store on 82nd and Broadway to the store in Union Square, were getting customers that used to go to the 86th street location asking when the location would reopen. They would beg for the store to return to the neighborhood and explain that the neighborhood wasn’t the same without a bookstore. That was the biggest reason to try and get back into this neighborhood.

What differences and similarities are you trying to carry over from the previous location?

We have a much more condensed version of the former Barnes & Noble so we have less space for product, but we also have an opportunity to really focus on the books and keep a selection that speaks to the people in this neighborhood.

What do you hope the store offers the community?

Because we’re a much smaller location, our booksellers are actually able to be on the floor and engage with customers, from giving recommendations to having conversations. This will allow us to make sure we’re carrying books that people care about and want to read, so we can focus our attention on the neighborhood.

Are you hoping to have book signings, talks, and other events?

Yes, of course. It’ll be on a much smaller scale so it’ll be more intimate. In fact, we’ve already done some signings and some storytimes for kids, which we’re gonna have more of soon. We’ll also have some sit down events, but nothing on the scale of the Union Square location or even the old neighborhood location — it’s a work in progress.

What kinds of books and genres do you hope to majorly display and supplement in this location?

Nonfiction, for sure. Sometimes we don’t have enough of that for customers, but we’ve been open for about a month now and, overwhelmingly, people are coming in for fiction and some of the older stuff. That may also be [a result of] the time of year, because a lot of students are doing their summer reading at the last minute. So, definitely fiction as well. The other thing is kids and family. Since we have a lot of them in the neighborhood, we’re really trying to make sure that the children’s section stays robust — we’ll probably expand it even more.

What genres or books would you recommend for high schoolers or middle schoolers?

There’s a lot I would recommend. I guess it’s a bit harder because in high school there are assigned readings so you want to get through those first, but there are books on the easier side I remember reading like Pride and Prejudice. You probably get a lot of fiction assignments but there’s some interesting nonfiction topics we can recommend as well.

What started your love of reading and literature?

From when I was very young, I always thought books were very interesting. Even before I could read I looked at comic books and magazines, and just the idea of the written word was so interesting to me as a child [that] I couldn’t wait to start reading. From that point, I just started reading whatever I could get my hands on. My parents weren’t very particular; they were just happy I wanted to read. I have written, though the desire for that diminished and reading became more interesting to me.

What is your favorite kind of literature or book?

Generally, I love it all. I do definitely gravitate more towards classics like Henry James and Dostoevsky, though I’ve also been reading a lot more contemporary books. In terms of keeping up with trends in the neighborhood, I also enjoy nonfiction. My favorite books so far this year have been a memoir called The Leaving Season [by Kelly McMasters] and Yellowface [by R. F. Kuang].

What book or genre shaped you the most as a person?

Fiction, easily. Again, going back to classics, getting to read Dickens and Shakespeare as a child and even just reading throughout grammar school and high school cemented my interest. What really engaged me was the notion that there were all these different worlds people wrote about and made me want to read books forever. The desire to read different perspectives coming from different parts of the world and what they’re speaking to was also a huge part of it. While I enjoy that in movies and music too, I think it’s unique with books because they offer so much and feed your imagination.

What sparked your interest and caused you to gravitate towards Barnes & Noble?

Especially because I enjoy reading and multiple genres, I also enjoy talking about them and being able to have a conversation with a customer and my booksellers. For me, being able to communicate something I love with a customer or employee is definitely a big bonus.

What advice would you give to someone who is in a reading slump or looking to get back into it?

I always ask people, “What was the last thing you read that you really enjoyed? What mood are you in?” I’ll always have something I can recommend to them having had that same experience of being in a slump and not knowing what to read. For example, I just started five different books but I couldn’t get into any of them. While it also has to do with stress, if you keep trying you’ll get there and your brain will come back to it. My staff and I are also always here if there’s a book you need help getting or if you need a recommendation.

After the interview, I strolled through the store, inhaling the smell of new books and reveling in the calm and welcoming space. Despite being smaller than its neighborhood predecessor and having only one floor, the location still manages to boast a collection for nearly every genre. Tan’s warmth made it clear that the bookstore’s ambiance is due not only to the color temperature of its ceiling lights, but also to its friendly staff, the combination forming a cozy oasis from the bustling city just outside its sliding doors.