The store will be located on the lower floor on the west side of the mall, next to Macy’s. Barnes & Noble is one of the largest bookstore chains in the United States, and this one will be the largest bookstore in the Middletown area. The nearest Barnes & Noble to Middletown is in the city of Newburgh.
The store at Galleria at Crystal Run will have a cafe, comfortable reading areas, and Barnes & Noble’s wide selection of books, as well as toys, vinyls, and other gifts.
Darrin Houseman, general manager of Galleria at Crystal Run, said in the announcement, “Barnes & Noble is an iconic brand that resonates across generations, and we are excited to welcome them to Galleria at Crystal Run.”
Houseman said that Barnes & Noble’s arrival strengthens Galleria’s store diversity and improves the mall’s position as a regional shopping, dining, and entertainment destination.
The store is expected to open in late 2026.
The Epoch Times spoke with Middletown High School library and media specialist Emily Londrigan on Feb. 11 about the potential effects the store could have on the school, students, and bookstore landscape in Middletown.
Londrigan said she is excited for the new store to open, as Barnes & Noble is one of the stores that the school is approved to purchase from, and it offers reduced prices for schools and teachers. Her positive experience with the Newburgh Barnes & Noble raises her hopes for the new store as well.
“I had Barnes & Noble reps from Newburgh drive the books to me to be delivered because I needed them in a quick turnaround time,“ she said. ”They’re fantastic. So I’m super excited for the partnership to continue and have it be a lot closer to home for me.”
The new big bookstore won’t necessarily take away from the existing used and small bookstores in the Middletown area, Londrigan said.
“I think it will make it so that we’re celebrating books more and, hopefully, send more people to both stores, so Barnes & Noble and the independent bookstores can give people more of an opportunity to buy books,” she said.
“Support your bookstores and support your libraries. Reading still matters and is important, and even just reading the newspaper, please keep reading it, so that we all can keep surviving.”
