7 Barnes & Noble Facts That Avid Readers Will Find Truly Fascinating
Anybody who loves to read knows that Barnes & Noble is the holy grail of book stores. The company has been around for over a century, so the history behind America's biggest bookstore chain is incredibly interesting. We dug up some facts about the company that truly took us by surprise. You'll have a whole new appreciation for Barnes & Noble after checking out these tidbits.
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Barnes & Noble was one of the first companies to ever put background music in its stores.
You know that mood music you hear when you step inside basically every retail store? In 1940, Barnes & Noble was one of the first to test out sound systems that could boost the moods of shoppers.
The store turned down the offer to be featured in the movie You've Got Mail.
In the 1998 film, Tom Hanks's character works at a big bookstore chain. Director Nora Ephron asked Barnes & Noble if it would be the company featured in the film, but it turned it down. It had originally been the cause for smaller bookstores to close and the story line was too similar to events that actually happened.
The bookstore was the very first to have TV commercials.
Check out two of the first commercials from 1974. "Of course, of course" became a popular phrase the company was known for.
Barnes & Noble was originally called Arthur Hinds & Company.
It opened in 1886 in New York City.
The company wants you to sit and hang out in their stores.
It helps sales! Those chairs and benches you see everywhere are there for a reason. Barnes & Noble wants you to be able to get into a book while at the actual store.
Books used to be sold by the pound at the stores.
In 1975, Barnes & Noble opened a large discount store near their flagship location in New York City. There, people could pile up books in shopping carts and purchase them by the pound.
The first store to have a cafe and serve Starbucks coffee opened in 1993.
The company plans to open larger restaurants with a wider selection in 2017.