Barnes & Noble to Move into Downtown Mt. Kisco By Fall
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
The Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce confirmed Monday afternoon that Barnes & Noble Booksellers has signed a lease to move into the former Walgreens and Rite Aid space on South Moger in the village’s downtown later this year.
The verification came a week after village Trustee Karen Schleimer mentioned during the Mar. 18 Village Board meeting that she had heard the bookstore chain was going to be coming to town.
In a statement from chamber Co-executive Directors Lorretta Brooks and Beth Vetare Civitello, the pending arrival of Barnes & Noble “will be a great addition to the already vibrant downtown area.”
“Our belief, based on the health of our local economy, is that the advent of Barnes & Noble choosing Mount Kisco for one of their next locations secures Mount Kisco as a destination for both residents and businesses,” their joint statement read in part.
The 13,700-square-foot space at 59 S. Moger Ave. is on the ground floor of a Friedland Properties building. The bookstore’s lease begins Aug. 2, according to the chamber of commerce.
Janine Flanigan, senior director of store planning and design for Barnes & Noble, said Tuesday that there is no specific target date for the store to open, but estimated that it could be by October or November.
“We’ll carry, obviously, the best books that you find typically at Barnes & Noble stores. There will be a selection of toys and games, our educational toys and games, of family games and puzzles, there will be a selection of vinyl and then there’ll be a gifting area, Flanigan said. “So similar to what you’ll see in the other stores, is what you’ll see here as well.”
When it opens it will be the sixth Barnes & Noble location in Westchester. The other stores are in White Plains, Yonkers, Hartsdale, Eastchester and Mohegan Lake, Flanigan said.
Schleimer said the arrival of Barnes & Noble would be boon for the southern end of South Moger Avenue and the entire village, likely attracting shoppers from throughout the area.
“It would be the biggest draw certainly since Home Goods (opened),” Schleimer said.
A café is planned for the store, a feature at many of the chain’s locations, according to Flanigan. The only Westchester location without one is in Hartsdale because of a lack of space, she said.
That was one of the big draws for the old Borders bookstore on Main Street and Green Street before that chain declared bankruptcy in 2011 and eventually moved out of the large corner space at that location.
“In stores where we have cafes, you really create the environment where you’re telling people you out loud we want you to come, we want you to stay, we want you to sit down, enjoy a cup of coffee, grab a book, grab a magazine, but it really creates the environment that’s asking our customers to stay and spend time with us,” Flanigan said.
The news about Barnes & Noble comes as the chamber is currently working with the county, the village and the Economic Development Council to decide how best to use a Downtown Improvement Grant that was awarded to Mount Kisco by the county last year, Brooks and Civitello said. The village is one of five Westchester municipalities to receive the grants. Each recipient could receive up to $250,000.
The money would be used to help devise a plan and phase in downtown improvements. Mount Kisco would have to invest $50,000 of its own money.
Attracting not only residents but others who don’t live in the community is the best way to achieve maximum vibrancy, according to the chamber.
“We acknowledge that for a village, town, city to thrive, residents and non-residents alike need to be part of the economy,” the chamber’s statement read. “Economic growth and diversity mean stability.”
This article was updated with new details on the evening of Mar. 26. An earlier version of this piece said the store would be open by this summer. In fact, the bookstore’s lease begins Aug. 2.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
