[ALERT] Barnes & Noble to "Turn the Page" on Metro Store After Thirty Years in Business

Two and half years after ToNeTo Atlanta first reported that a local Barnes & Noble was being replaced by a new RaceTrac, things appear to be moving forward.  Barnes & Noble informed customers Sunday May 31 that their store at 2952 Cobb Parkway near Smyrna is closing August 19. 

The more than 20,000 square foot freestanding store has occupied the dynamic corner of Akers Mill Road and Cobb Parkway for thirty years.  The store began its closing sale Sunday with 30-50% off in stock merchandise including 30% off vinyl and DVDs, 40% off books, and 50% off toys, reportedly with all Legos sold out by Monday afternoon.  

Barnes & Noble posted a message to both its Instagram page and front door indicating that they "continue to look for a suitable new location in the neighborhood."  A new Barnes & Noble is slated to open July 8 at the Edgewood Retail District in Atlanta, where a larger Barnes & Noble closed in April 2022 and was later replaced by a Marshalls store.  

Another new Barnes & Noble is slated to open in September in Toco Hills shopping center, where its arrival was met with a mix of emotions, given the existence of longstanding local bookstore Tall Tales Bookshop in Toco Hills shopping center.  

RaceTrac, with headquarters about a half mile from the bookstore at Atlanta Galleria office park, already operates a store a little more than a mile away at 2550 Spring Road, but the density in the area could easily support both locations.  

A timeframe for the "flagship" RaceTrac is not yet known, but given the fuel retailer reportedly plans to make use of the existing structure, it seems possible that the company will add a Potbelly to the building, given how much space they will have.  

The new RaceTrac, roughly four times the size of the company's typical units, will feature a convenience store, but could also house a sit-down restaurant, offices, retail, training and meeting space, and a chef's kitchen, among other things, according to the 2023 filing.  'This store will provide RaceTrac a location to try out new services, meet with vendors, and have a showcase operation for training purposes," the proposal went on to say.   Cobb County property records show that RaceTrac purchased the property for $12.5 million in December 2024.

ToNeTo Atlanta first reported on the 2.4 acre Barnes & Noble property being marketed as a "redevelopment opportunity" in November 2020 after which plans for a new Lazy Dog Restaurant and Raising Cane's surfaced in 2021 but ultimately never materialized.   

The Cumberland area, despite having a tremendous amount of vehicular traffic, does not have many fuel providers.  The Costco at Cumberland Mall offers fuel but is rarely without a dozen plus vehicles queued up waiting for gas.  A Costco executive previously told ToNeTo Atlanta that the Cumberland fuel center is their busiest gas station on the east coast.  A few years ago, Costco added a pair of pumps, but the addition of the RaceTrac should take some pressure off of the Costco fuel center.     

For its part, Barnes & Noble will continue to operate a dozen stores in metro Atlanta including a smaller format store that opened in October 2023 replacing a former Bed Bath & Beyond at the Avenue East Cobb in East Cobb.  In addition to the East Cobb outpost, locations include those on Peachtree Road in Buckhead, North Point Parkway in Alpharetta, Perimeter Center West in Dunwoody, Peachtree Parkway in Peachtree Corners, and Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw, among others.  

Family-owned RaceTrac traces its roots to 1934 and now operates more than 800 convenience stores and fuel centers across Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, and Tennessee.     

What are your thoughts on this planned development?  Are you excited at the prospect of having such a special, large RaceTrac in Atlanta?  Do you have a favorite brand of gasoline?  

Please share your thoughts below.