Barnes & Noble to close El Cerrito bookstore after 20 years in business

When she was a child, Anna May’s mother would bring her to the Barnes & Noble bookstore in the El Cerrito Plaza shopping center to pick out a book as a reward for doing well in school.

Terry Amgott-Kwan also used to take her children to the Barnes & Noble shop and now brings her grandchildren here.

Evelyn Clayton simply likes to meet friends at the bookstore’s coffee shop amid the shelves of novels and autobiographies.

These are the types of experiences East Bay residents will no longer get to enjoy here. Barnes & Noble is closing its El Cerrito bookstore after two decades in business, according to store officials.

Janine Flanigan, vice president of store planning and design at Barnes & Noble, said the company “didn’t have the opportunity to renew our lease” in El Cerrito. She didn’t specify why but noted the decision wasn’t made lightly.

“It’s always sad when we have to close a store,” she told Richmondside.

She said the store’s lease expires on Jan. 31, but they will shut down on Jan. 19 so they can vacate the building.

Officials at Regency Centers, the owners of El Cerrito Plaza, did not respond to Richmondside’s request for an interview.

The employees of the El Cerrito Barnes & Noble joined the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 (UFCW 5) in April. They joined those from a San Jose store in posting an online petition against closing the two stores which has so far been signed by more than 3,000 people.

Jim Araby, the director of strategic campaigns for UFCW 5, told Richmondside he didn’t think the closure was tied to the new union membership.

He said the Barnes & Noble building hasn’t been renovated since opening in 2002. He said there are numerous maintenance issues, including problems with the HVAC units, the cafe plumbing and signs of mold in certain areas.

Araby said the union is negotiating with Barnes & Noble about relocating the El Cerrito workers if a new store is opened. He said the company “has fought hard” to define the radius of a new location where the employees would be able to return to work with their union benefits.

Whatever happens, the impending closure turns west Contra Costa County into a virtual book desert for the time being.

The closest large bookstores are in Berkeley, and the closest remaining East Bay Barnes & Noble is in Emeryville.

Customers Richmondside interviewed at the El Cerrito bookstore said they were surprised and saddened to learn of the upcoming closure.

May, a Berkeley resident, said she visits this particular location two or three times a year. She said it’s simply a different experience purchasing a book firsthand as opposed to buying it from a site such as Amazon.

She also notes the bookstore has a children’s reading area in the back, a place she used to visit with her mother.

“This will really be missed,” May said. “It’s nice to wander the aisles and look for something that catches your eye.”

Clayton, a Richmond resident, said she visits a half-dozen times a year. She also likes the feeling of sampling titles in person on the shelves. One of her favorite things to do is to bring a book to the store’s coffee shop and meet up with a friend to discuss literature and other topics.

“It’s a really pleasant place to hang out,” she said.

Amgott-Kwan, a Berkeley resident, said the many  “25 percent off” signs scattered throughout the store tipped her off to the impending store closure.

“This has been a staple in the East Bay community for a number of years,” she said.

Like Clayton and May, Amgott-Kwan also likes to feel a book and flip through its pages before purchasing it. She adds it’s imperative for children to visit bookstores.

“It’s important that they spend time with books,” she said.

The three Barnes & Noble customers also wonder how the closure will impact El Cerrito Plaza. May said the Barnes & Noble and Trader Joe’s stores have helped keep the shopping center open at various times over the years.

Georgina Edwards, the El Cerrito Chamber of Commerce manager, said her organization is “disappointed and saddened” by the bookstore’s departure.

She noted that the company has been active in the community and has sponsored numerous fundraisers for local schools.

“There is a lot of appreciation for what Barnes & Noble has brought to the community,” she said. 

However, Edwards said that El Cerrito Plaza is in healthy financial shape and that chamber and center officials are looking for a new tenant for the large corner spot.

She noted that past vacancies at the shopping center have produced popular businesses such as California Fish Grill, Dave’s Hot Chicken and Ike’s sandwich shop.

“We’re not worried about the plaza,” Edwards said. “We have seen a lot of innovation and resilience there.”