How Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt tapped his indie bookstore cred to revive the big-box chain

First publishedAug 3, 07:00 UTC

Last updatedAug 3, 10:45 UTC · 4m ago

107:00–07:07 UTC1 outletFortune

07:0007:5608:5209:4910:45

Fortune6How Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt tapped his indie bookstore cred to revive the big-box chainAug 3, 07:00 UTCOpen ↗

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When James Daunt was named CEO of Barnes & Noble in 2019, he quickly began making the big-box store more like local indie bookstores. Barnes & Noble had just been taken private by Elliott Advisors for $683 million after sales declines driven by formulaic stores that had lost their charm. The hedge fund installed Daunt, a Brit, as CEO based on his track record reviving Elliott-owned Waterstones, a large British bookseller, and his experience as owner of the beloved ten-store Daunt Books in London. His plan to turn around Barnes & Noble hinged on infusing the retailer’s more than 700 stores with some of the aura of his namesake chain, whose locations are treated as hallowed ground by many book lovers for their browsing‑friendly displays and oak‑paneled galleries.

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  How Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt tapped his indie bookstore cred to revive the big-box chain

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