Barnes & Noble Plots New Course

As traditional book sales continue to wane, Barnes & Noble (New York) has made changes to reverse declines in store traffic. For the holidays, the company has diversified its merchandise offerings to include more non-book items, including a broader line of toys and games, as well as items like turntables ($110) and craft beer kits ($40). Under the direction of Mary Amicucci, vp, Adult Trade and Children's Books, the company has also unveiled new book merchandising strategies, displaying classics and new releases, within a single genre.

In early 2015, according to The Wall Street Journal, Barnes & Noble will split into two separate public companies, one the 658 consumer bookstores and BarnesandNoble.com; the other will comprise Barnes & Noble college bookstores and the Nook digital business. News of the split, as well as improved Nook sales, have driven up investors’ outlooks on the company. Share price is up 57 percent since last January.