Barnes & Noble is officially out.
The Route 66 and Milton Road bookstore closed earlier this month after the landlord opted not to renew the lease, making way for a new Goodwill location to move later this year.
The chain bookstore was completely empty Wednesday, along with the parking lot, after months of sales as their closing date loomed. The front door was tied with yellow caution tape and multiple signs taped to the windows reminded hopeful patrons that they’re closed — permanently.
“We have truly enjoyed serving our customers in Flagstaff for the past 23 years and would have loved to continue for many more,” a sign announcing the closure said.
The company did not respond to a request for comment from the Arizona Daily Sun, but the same sign stated that the store is “doing everything we can to find a new store in this area” and solicited ideas from the public for a potential new home .
An exact opening date for the new Goodwill location has yet to be set, according to Courtney Nelson, Goodwill communications director for northern and central Arizona.
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Nelson said that it will likely be later this year, but added the caveat that the timeline could change due to ongoing supply chain issues.
The actual changes to the building will be pretty minimal, Nelson said.
The integrity of the existing building will remain relatively the same, with some minor renovations inside to better adapt the space to Goodwill’s needs. There will be minimal exterior changes — primarily updates to the building, according to Nelson.
The floor plan will resemble other Goodwill locations. The Milton location, however, is expected to differ from the other Goodwill locations in town. The store, which is across the street from Northern Arizona University, will be more geared to college students.
“We anticipate having items in there that fit that Gen Z/Millennial set,” Nelson said.
The new location set to open in the former Albertsons at the corner of Switzer Canyon Drive and Route 66 will have a more traditional floor plan.
Nelson said they expect that store to open in the late spring or early summer.
The two new locations won’t mean any changes to the current location at the Flagstaff Mall. The future of the West Route 66 store remains unknown, though. Goodwill closed the drop-off only location last year. They leased the building, leaving it to the landlords as to what will move in there next.
The three Goodwill locations are a clear sign of the recent boom in thrifting. Nelson said the decision to open two additional locations was motivated by the significant opportunity in the market.
“Thrift has really grown as an industry,” Nelson said. “We have seen an increase in shoppers turning to thrift for the first time, and we saw that really growing here in Flagstaff.”
Reporter Bree Burkitt can be reached at 928-556-2250 or [email protected].
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