Turning Pages on the promenade
Dalia Puchalt / The Samohi
Promende visitors walk by the brand new Barnes and Nobles after years of construction.
A new chapter begins in Santa Monica as the grand opening of Barnes & Nobles on the Third Street promenade emerges. This brand new Barnes & Nobles brings a fresh environment for literature lovers while also bringing community engagement. The announcement of the new Barnes & Nobles thrilled the Santa Monica community since the closing of the last Barnes & Nobles in 2018 left bibliophiles wanting more. With that being said, this vibrant new location immediately grabs your attention with its mirrored front walls and offers all sorts of community-focused events such as virtual author readings which discuss parts of the book with the authors themselves as well as community locals. These readings bring fresh perspectives that could alter your view on the book. In addition to author readings, there are also plans for in-person book signings by authors of all genres and ages to give everyone in the community full access to what this new location has to offer.
Locals eagerly anticipate the opportunity to explore new titles and engage with other book lovers. Samo student Rosalie Tsirlin (’26) expresses her excitement about the opening.
“Barnes & Nobles fuels all my interest, they give you a variety of different literature, puzzles, records and CD’s which as a literature enthusiast I was thrilled to visit the newly opened Barnes & Noble! Although the new location is smaller than the previous one, its beautiful details make up for it and regain its specialty,” Tsirlin said. “Books are engraved into the brick walls and the stunning mirrors invite you to enter into this new domain filled with any book you can imagine and to my surprise, legos as well! As you walk in you immediately feel a part of the Santa Monica community. You see different generations, different races and different personalities join together to appreciate this new pillar in the community! ”
Samo Academic Counselor Mr. Porter also discloses the importance of this new Barnes & Noble opening by verbalizing the effect it will have on Samo students mental health.
“Students constantly vocalize to me how much a peaceful and accessible environment would change their mindset on doing homework. I believe that because of this new opening students get a place to find their favorite books but also a place where they can be productive and optimistic,” Porter said.
Furthermore, this new Barnes and Nobles looks to be a promising and vibrant pillar in the Santa Monica community for book lovers and community activities.