A new chapter for the Third Street Promenade was written Wednesday, a welcomed callback to the shopping space’s illustrious book history.
After over six years of dormancy, a new installment of Barnes & Noble was released Wednesday morning on the Promenade, bringing book bingers and casual readers alike to the two-story location. The book store giant was one of the Promenade’s northeast corner highlights for 22 years before shutting down in January 2018, with the return a full circle moment for many.
For Mayor Phil Brock, the opening meant a return to the same 1318 Promenade space that was once occupied by a Montgomery Ward department store, where his mother worked while the Mayor attended Samohi.
"It’s a wonderful day to be in Santa Monica and to see this opening of the store that we loved for a generation … this was Santa Monica’s bookstore for so many years, and it’s great to see the store back … you will be extremely pleased when you walk into this Barnes & Noble," Brock said.
For building owner and Promenade realty royalty Wally Marks, it means another bookstore opening spearheaded by his family at 1318, after father Wally and himself brought Midnight Special Bookstore to the space in the 1990s. Marks thanked everyone who aided in the project, such as staff from City Planning and Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM), as well as contractors who succeeded in a "tough site to work in."
Someone who remembered the previous Promenade B&N location was author Olivie Blake, who penned New York Times bestseller The Atlas Six while living in Santa Monica, and credited trips to the bookstore with her husband as the ultimate inspiration.
"One day, we were walking through … and I said, someday I want my books to be here in the science fiction and fantasy sections … and now I’m here," Blake said.
Blake was part of the welcoming committee for the new store, signing books throughout the morning. Joining her for signings throughout the day were Brady Smith (known for his book endeavors as well as trying to purchase Dennis Reynolds’ Amphibious Exploring Vehicle in a famous It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia scene), Victoria Aveyard and Marie Lu.
Once inside, customers were hooked to the store’s warm lighting and vast selections, with the location formatting books by authors A-Z in the fiction and romance genres. The top floor also holds the Young Adult, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thriller and poetry book catalogs; as well as the "New and Noteworthy" section and a local summer reading list curated by DTSM staff. Picks from DTSM’s list include Elle Kennedy’s The Summer Girl and Nicola Harrison’s Hotel Laguna.
The middle of the store holds a staircase to a downstairs that manager Sarah Abel called "a little bit of a labyrinth." The unique layout holds a tremendous amount of treasures outside of books, ranging from DVDs and vinyl records to board games and children’s toys.
"I have never worked in a store like this before, and I think it’s so fun and so cool to be able to really be our own community bookstore," Abel said.
Previously a manager at B&N’s Burbank location, Abel took the Santa Monica gig in order to help the company’s expansion in California. She noted that the downstairs focus on children’s activities and games is a poignant one, meant to inspire generations to come.
"We want them to read, we want them to be engaged … I feel like every generation has a Barnes & Noble story … that’s what we want here, is for kids to come in, and then when they come back in their 20s and 30s and 40s, [to] then bring their kids in," Abel added.
Santa Monica officials have been focused on bringing in traffic of all ages to the Promenade, with B&N the latest step in revitalization efforts for the shopping center. Just in recent weeks, B&N joins Candles on Tap, Yogurtland and Miniso as businesses taking up Promenade space, a trend Vice Mayor Lana Negrete called a "comeback" for the site.
"We want businesses like this, Negrete said. "I have a 14 and 16-year-old who love to read, they used to love hanging out at Barnes & Noble and have missed it. It’s really cool to hear when I drop them off at school, all the kids talking [about] Barnes & Noble opening. I thought that was really neat. I’m glad to have them actually holding a physical book and having a cool space to be when they’re out."
City Councilmember Oscar de la Torre added that B&N is "one example of how we’re turning the corner" and stressed that the city is committed to making sure the Promenade is a "safer experience" for residents and visitors alike.
Regardless of the business implications, Abel said her main job is to expand the horizons of curious readers, which is what keeps her passionate years into her B&N position.
"Helping the right person find the right book, there’s no better feeling than that … watching somebody walk out with just a really good book and knowing that will impact them, and [that] our conversation has impacted me," Abel said. "That’s such a high I never [get] tired of."
thomas@smdp.com
