Barnes & Noble Is Coming Back to Downtown Seattle
The bookseller will open a new flagship at 520 Pike, marking the largest retail lease in downtown Seattle since 2020.
By Sarah Stackhouse December 2, 2025
Barnes & Noble is returning to downtown Seattle for the first time since early 2020. The national bookseller has signed a 10-year lease for a new flagship at 520 Pike Street, a 29-story tower, taking over 17,538 square feet on the corner of Pike and 6th Avenue. The store is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026.
The move is notable not only because it brings back a major store to downtown, but because it marks the biggest retail lease in the area in five years. Barnes & Noble left after 22 years at Pacific Place, closing following a lease issue at the mall. It remains the largest bookseller in the country.
Barnes & Noble announced plans over the summer to open more than 60 bookstores this year as part of a broader national resurgence. The downtown Seattle store will offer books, magazines, toys, games, and gifts.
“Barnes & Noble’s return serves as a major vote of confidence and a huge momentum booster for downtown Seattle,” says Ryan Botjer, senior managing director at Tishman Speyer, which owns 520 Pike Tower.
Jon Scholes, president and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association, says there is “energy in downtown with a record residential population, visitor numbers that are the strongest we’ve seen in six years and more public space amenities coming online that increase our vibrancy. It’s a great time to open shop in downtown Seattle.”
The tower has been through its own round of updates in recent years.. Built in 1983 and modernized in 2018, 520 Pike spans nearly 400,000 square feet and houses tenants in tech, insurance, law, and finance. It includes a fitness center, conference space, bike storage, EV charging, and above-ground parking. Its central location sits close to major hotels, bus lines, and the Seattle Convention Center.
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