Bloomington Barnes and Noble closing in February

Barnes and Noble announced it will be closing its Bloomington location at 2813 E. Third St. by Febuary 2019. The store opened in 1995.  Matt Begala Buy Photos

The Barnes and Noble location on East Third Street will close in February 2019, according to a statement from Jim Lampassi, vice president of real estate development at Barnes and Noble.

“It has been our pleasure serving this community over the years,” Lampassi said.

The bookstore, which has been a part of Bloomington for 23 years, has served as an off-campus study spot for some IU students. Junior Jasmine McClain was sitting in the bookstore café Thursday afternoon and said she was shocked when she heard the store was closing.

“Even though I don’t come here a lot, this is a perfect off-campus study spot for people who live in the apartments around here,” McClain said.

Although McClain lives on campus, she said it’s still conveniently close.

“I like the quiet and the convenience,”  McClain said. “It’s not too far from campus, and it’s right by food and restaurants.”

The exact date of closure is currently unknown.

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