Barnes & Noble to open new store at Lutherville Station next week

Barnes & Noble announced it will open a new 17,500-square-foot bookstore and cafe at the Lutherville Station shopping center in Baltimore County next week, according to The Baltimore Banner.

The store will be located at 130 W. Ridgely Road, a site formerly occupied by RH Outlet and previously a Borders bookstore. This opening is part of Barnes & Noble's return to the area, filling a void left since the Towson location closed nearly a decade ago.

The Lutherville Station development is a largely vacant shopping center near a light rail station, where developers have aimed to create a mixed-use community with apartments, retail, and green space. However, housing proposals there have faced opposition from nearby residents concerned about traffic and school overcrowding.

In September, the Baltimore County Council granted Lutherville Station a transit-oriented development designation, making it eligible for state grants, loans, and tax credits. Barnes & Noble will join Old Navy as one of the retail tenants in the development.

Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt expressed enthusiasm about returning to the community, highlighting the support from readers in the Towson area and the new store's location in Timonium. This store will be part of the company's ongoing expansion in Maryland, following recent openings in Pasadena and Westminster.