Last week, the company, which owns 328 B. Dalton bookstores and1,011 GameStop video game stores in addition to its 582 Barnes& Noble locations, said that it has signed leases on a29,000-sf location in Palm Beach Gardens, FL scheduled to open inJuly 2003; a 23,000-sf space in Wausau, WI, scheduled for deliverynext October; and a 25,000-sf property in Beaumont, TX, also slatedto open in October 2002.

B&N spokesman Matthew Zoni tells GlobeSt.com the companywill soon reveal that agreements are in place to open sixadditional stores in 2002 and 2003. Next June, B&N will open a30,000-sf Boston store and in August, a 23,000-sf store will openin Huntersville, NC. Also in August, a 25,000-sf store will open inMcAllen TX. Orlando will see the opening of a 23,000-sf store,scheduled for completion next October. Leases have also been signedin Dekalb, IL (21,000 sf) and Ithaca, NY (25,000 sf).

According to Zoni, superstores are generally around 25,000 sfand have roughly identical concessions and amenities such as foodconcessions and newsstands. They also devote significant space toDC, video and DVD titles.