FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2026
BARNES & NOBLE OPENS TODAY AT CROSSGATES
Author Laurie Gilmore to Host Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and Book Signing at the Grand Opening at 10AM
Guilderland, NY: Barnes & Noble is pleased to announce the opening of its new bookstore on Wednesday, October 28th. Located at Crossgates, the new store is the first of three Barnes & Noble stores scheduled to open in upstate New York this year.
The new store is located on the upper across from REI Co-op. Spanning more than 18,000 square feet, this location will offer a comprehensive selection of books, toys, games, magazines, gift items, vinyl, and more. The new location will also feature a Barnes & Noble Café.
Crossgates Barnes & Noble bookstore will officially open to the public at 10AM eastern on Wednesday October 28th, with local author Laurie Gilmore cutting the ribbon and signing copies of her acclaimed book, Big Bad Wolf. Costume Character Arthur will also join the festivities and host special story time events over the weekend.
The new Crossgates Barnes & Noble marks a continued investment by the bookseller in interior mall locations. This is a major shift from the era in the early 2000’s when chain booksellers, notably Barnes & Noble and Borders booksellers, closed almost all their interior mall stores. Waldenbooks had over 1,200 stores and there were 770 B. Dalton Bookseller stores at their peak. Recent mall openings by Barnes & Noble include a doubling of the size of their Fayette Mall location in Lexington only two years after first opening in this mall.
The Crossgates Barnes & Noble is one of 8 new stores to open in October, with Barnes & Noble expecting to open 60 stores in 2026, the same total it added in the previous year. Barnes & Noble now boasts over 730 bookstores, having been below 600 stores as recently as 2023. Barnes & Noble is enjoying a period of tremendous growth as the strategy to hand control of each bookstore to its local booksellers has proven so successful.
The design of the Crossgates store showcases the ambition of Barnes & Noble to create exceptional local bookstores that marry the best traditions of independent bookselling with the resources of the historic chain.
Barnes & Noble Premium and Rewards Members will earn double stamps on all purchases made between October 28th and November 1st. Customers who are not yet Members are encouraged to sign up and start earning stamps and rewards right away.
Everyone who visits the new Crossgates Barnes & Noble during the grand opening will have access to exclusive deals, like $50 off any NOOK device. Customers can also save 40% on all DVD, Blu-ray, and 4k Ultra HD movies.
“We are opening a beautiful bookstore at Crossgates,” said James Daunt, CEO of Barnes & Noble. “The combination of such an ambitious design with the skills of our booksellers have created an extraordinary bookstore.”
Store Manager Michelle Traver, a long-tenured bookseller with Barnes and Noble in Albany, said, “The team and I are excited to be able to offer an incredible selection of books, gifts, toys, and games in such a great position in Crossgates. We will have the friendliest rivalry with our Colonie bookstore and look forward to widening readership still further in the Albany area.”
Customers can discover more about upcoming events and news by following @bncrossgates on social media.
Visit www.shopcrossgates.com and follow us on Facebook & Instagram for updates on upcoming openings, giveaways, community events, promotions & sales offered at our center and within our stores, restaurants & entertainment venues.
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About Crossgates:
Crossgates is the Capital Region’s premier shopping, dining and entertainment destination offering an impressive selection of national brands and the newest retail concepts. The center is anchored by Macy’s, JCPenney, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Going, Going, Going Gone!, Primark and Best Buy, while offering more than 180 retail shops, including Apple. Crossgates offers 10 entertainment venues and over 20 on-site eateries, such as Dave & Buster’s, Get Air, Billy Beez, Apex Entertainment, Maggie McFly’s and Regal Cinemas with IMAX. Or simply relax at our award-winning day spa, Spa Mirbeau. Located adjacent to a dual-branded 192-room Homewood Suites and Tru by Hilton hotel and a COSTCO Wholesale, Crossgates is your destination to EAT. SHOP. PLAY. STAY. Additional information regarding Crossgates can be found at shopcrossgates.com, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
About Pyramid Management Group, LLC
Pyramid Management Group is one of the largest, most innovative, privately held real estate developers in the Northeast. Headquartered in Syracuse, New York, Pyramid’s portfolio of dynamic shopping, dining and entertainment destinations and expanding hospitality presence dominate the northeast with 10 properties located throughout New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island including Destiny USA (Syracuse, NY), Crossgates (Albany, NY), Walden Galleria (Buffalo, NY) and Providence Place (Providence, RI). For over five decades, Pyramid has built its reputation on being first, fast, and ahead of the curve, leading the industry in combining the best elements of traditional retail with world-class dining and entertainment, all under one roof. For more information, visit www.pyramidmg.com.