Struggling Barnes & Noble Inc., in its latest attempt to draw shoppers into bricks-and-mortar stores, is adding 25 in-store boutiques that sell products from Penguin publishing house, a report said.
These boutiques, which have already been tested in 10 Barnes & Noble stores, are stocked with books published by Penguin and other gift-type items such as mugs and totes, the Wall Street Journal reported. Each one occupies about 200 square feet.
The test boutiques have proved successful thus far, and Barnes & Noble decided to expand the concept into more than two dozen other stores, said Patricia Bostelman, a vice president of marketing for the bookseller.
"It's a way for us to focus on our core business and drive sales," Bostelman told the Journal. The bookseller said it does not plan to expand the concept by partnering with other publishing houses.
The Penguin effort is part of a larger initiative by Barnes & Noble to shake up its store formats and open up more space for products such as toys, games, and its line of Nook e-readers and tablets, the Journal said.
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