THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 8, 1996 TAG: 9609060191
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JENNIFER C. O'DONNELL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 54 lines
Barnes & Noble Inc., the nation's largest book seller, opened the doors of its new Chesapeake store Wednesday.
The store, located in the Greenbrier Market Center, boasts more than 150,000 titles on subjects including the classics, cooking, film studies, archeology, business and world history. The scope of the store's selection includes works from more than 10,000 publishers, including small independent publishers and university presses.
The Chesapeake store, which contains some 30,000 square feet, is the largest bookstore in the city and is the second Barnes & Noble store to open in Hampton Roads. The Virginia Beach Barnes & Noble store opened in October 1994 and another location is expected to open later this year in Newport News near the Patrick Henry Mall.
Chesapeake's store employs approximately 60 full-time and part-time workers. Employees began stocking the shelves as early as the middle of August to prepare for the opening.
Fifteen computer terminals are set up throughout the Chesapeake store so that a customer, with the help of a Barnes & Noble book seller, can locate a particular book or periodical.
``Our hope is that you can either buy the book here today, order it or find out how you can get a copy,'' said Ruth R. Street, manager of the Chesapeake Barnes & Noble store.
One feature the Chesapeake store has that is not planned for the other two Hampton Roads locations is a large music department.
The music department stocks nearly 20,000 compact discs and cassettes, with an emphasis on classical music, jazz, opera and pop rock.
Listening stations and an electronic music catalog helps customers choose their selection, said Street.
In addition to a large adult selection, the store houses a children's department, which includes titles in fiction, non-fiction, education, crafts, hobbies and science fiction.
``We also have a story time for children on Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings,'' said Street. Street added that the story time at the Virginia Beach store has become so popular that the admission to the event is by ticket only.
The Barnes & Noble cafe serves patrons Starbucks coffee, cappuccino, and espresso as well as teas, sodas and fruit juices.
To encourage patrons to stay and browse through their merchandise, the store has several plush reading centers complete with upholstered chairs and coffee tables. Benches and small reading tables are also located throughout the store.
Like other chains of the superstore, the Chesapeake Barnes & Noble will host reading groups, open mikes for poetry readings, author discussions and acoustic music by local musicians.
The store is also implementing a new writer's program that is a section of the store dedicated to the works of newly published novelists. by CNB