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Chicago & Midwest  + Greater Chicagoland  + Retail  |  February 23, 2026
Jasmine Kilman
By: Jasmine Kilman

Two-Story, 23K-SF Barnes & Noble Location to Open in Skokie

Barnes & Noble is opening a relocated bookstore at Westfield Old Orchard. The restored Skokie location is set to open this week.

The two-story store will span nearly 23,000 square feet in the former Zara space, near Loft and The Cheesecake Factory. Barnes & Noble’s previous bookstore in Old Orchard closed last month as part of the ongoing renovation of the shopping center. The relocated store is just around the corner from the old one.

Barnes & Noble is experiencing strong sales in its existing stores and has been opening many new stores after more than 15 years of declining store numbers. The bookseller will open over 60 new bookstores in 2026.

The Skokie location is the first of four new Barnes & Noble bookstores set to open in Illinois this year. A new store in Hyde Park will open next month, with two others anticipated this summer.

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About Jasmine Kilman

Jasmine Kilman is Content Director of Connect Commercial Real Estate, covering Chicago and greater Chicagoland, the Midwest, Seattle, and the Pacific Northwest. She covers industry trends, transaction deals, market research, and produces daily news stories. With experience in marketing and communications for academic nonprofits and corporate clients, including Hearst Media, Hilton, and Coldwell Banker, Kilman has written about commercial real estate, environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), technology, healthcare, and philanthropy. She was born and raised in California and graduated with a degree in public relations. In her spare time, Kilman enjoys hiking and traveling to new locations with her family.
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