The radical idea behind Barnes & Noble’s surprising comeback
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In the wake of a once-dwindling bookstore chain, Barnes & Noble is experiencing a surprising comeback under the leadership of CEO James Daunt. The turning point in the company's resurgence came when Daunt shifted the focus from centralized control to empowering frontline employees. This change in strategy has allowed individual store locations to choose and promote books based on local customer preferences, rather than adhering to a one-size-fits-all approach dictated by headquarters.
By allowing stores to reflect the unique tastes of their communities, Barnes & Noble is now opening 60 new locations this year and has more total stores than in 2019, the year Daunt took the helm.
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