Barrington Books to Open in Garden City Center

An East Bay institution and haven for book lovers, Barrington Books, is expanding and will open a new store in Cranston’s Garden City Center this fall.

The new, 5,000 square-foot store will be Barrington Books’ second location and marks the end of a frustrating 4-year absence of a bookstore in Garden City Center, a popular destination shopping center that watched Borders Bookstore close in 2011 when that company imploded.

“Barrington Books has evolved into a shopping destination on the East Bay, and we are excited to duplicate the indie bookstore experience that we have long been known for at Garden City Center,” said Jennifer Massotti, general manager of Barrington Books. “After a long period of diligence to find the right home for our second location, we believe Garden City Center, with its goal of offering the very best shopping experience around combined with its long history as part of Rhode Island’s retail landscape, is the perfect fit for us.”

As national booksellers have struggled, independent bookstores have found traction. It might be hard to believe, but there was an increase in the number of independent booksellers since the financial crisis, according to the American Booksellers Association, and it was a substantial 27 percent.

“Our shoppers have been clamoring for a bookstore for years and the addition of Barrington Books Retold both meets consumer demand and provides yet another unique reason for shoppers to visit Garden City Center,” said Deb DiMeo, vice president of leasing for The Wilder Companies, the management company for Garden City Center. “Barrington Books, known for its community events, a knowledgeable, book-loving staff and hand selected toys and gifts, fits perfectly with Garden City Center’s emphasis on offering unique to Rhode Island local, regional and national retailers.”

The new store will be located near LA Fitness.

“I am pleased to have Barrington Books coming to Garden City Center in Cranston. They are a charming independent bookstore that is committed to community involvement. In fact, I visited and participated in a civic engagement event at their East Bay location last year. They will be a wonderful asset to the West Bay and our city. I look forward to visiting them when they open later this year,” said Cranston Mayor Allan Fung.

Along with books, Barrington Books is known for unique gifts, toys, trinkets and interesting objects of all kinds. Their flagship store in Barrington is also a hotspot for author meet-and-greets, meetings, fun activities and more.

Check out Barrington Books on Facebook.