James Daunt reshapes Barnes & Noble with indie-bookstore tactics
Since taking the helm in 2019, James Daunt has turned Barnes & Noble’s 700-plus stores into more locally curated spaces, abandoning uniform discount deals and giving outlets freedom over inventory.
When Elliott Advisors privatized Barnes & Noble in 2019, they installed James Daunt, known for revitalizing Waterstones and running the boutique Daunt Books in London. Daunt’s strategy focused on breaking the chain’s sameness by ending the co-op advertising discounts that forced uniform stock across all outlets. Instead, each regional group now curates its own selection, ordering a broader range of titles in smaller batches to encourage discovery.
Store remodels feature modular shelving, better lighting and staff-written display notes, echoing the charm of indie shops. The turnaround has given Elliott confidence to launch dozens of new stores annually, many of them compact compared with the large boxes closed in the 2010s. While a public offering is being floated, Daunt says the success of big-box and independent bookstores can coexist and grow the overall market.
Why it matters
The overhaul shows how a major retailer can revive sales by embracing local curation, impacting jobs and book-selling trends.
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