In a one-two punch for Nicollet Mall, the prominent two-story Barnes & Noble store on the busy downtown street is closing this spring.
The revelation comes just days after Macy's confirmed that it will close its landmark store across the street in March.
The bookstore, at 801 Nicollet Mall, is one of the biggest stores left along Nicollet Mall and is the last bookstore left in the central business district of downtown Minneapolis, which once also had a Borders. Several months ago, publisher Milkweed Books opened a bookstore on the other side of downtown in the Open Book building.
John Ferguson, senior vice president of Golub & Co., which is one of the partners that owns RSM Plaza, the building where the bookstore is located, confirmed that the chain has decided not to renew its lease, which is up at the end of May.
He said Barnes & Noble is interested in a smaller footprint of about 14,000 to 16,000 square feet on one floor. It currently takes up about 11,000 square feet on the first floor.
"We just could not accommodate what they were looking for on that first floor," said Ferguson. "They've been a great tenant for a long time. They do very well, but their business is going in a different direction."
He added that he did not know if the company plans to relocate the store to another part of downtown.
Golub is planning to redevelop the space on the first and second floor with work expected to get underway this spring.