Barnes & Noble to open Wednesday in Algonquin Commons

Barnes & Noble is set to open its Algonquin Commons location on Wednesday, the latest in a series of new tenants at the shopping center.

This new bookstore, located at 1802 S. Randall Road, replaces the Barnes & Noble in the Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee, which closed Oct. 22, according to a news release.

The opening of the Algonquin location will be marked at 10 a.m. Wednesday with a ribbon cutting with Chicago-area mystery authors Lori Rader-Day, known for “Death at Greenway” and “Little Pretty Things,” and Susanna Calkins of the Lucy Campion series. Saturday will feature a visit by Victoria Thompson, another mystery author from the Chicago area.

Barnes & Noble is one of several new businesses on track to open at Algonquin Commons, which Red Mountain Group Inc. purchased by this year. The California-based developer plans to invest about $30 million into the shopping center, through renovation and re-tenanting, the village of Algonquin said.

Since its acquisition, Algonquin Commons saw its vacancy rate drop to 11% from 25%, said Jason Shallcross, the village's community development director, adding that Red Mountain Group is doing “an incredible job.”

“With a planned reinvestment into the center valued between $30 (to) $50 million dollars to be unveiled in the near future, we are confident the center's vacancy rate will be in the low single-digits very soon,” Shallcross said.

The new Barnes & Noble sits next to Trader Joe's, one of the businesses that predates Red Mountain Group's acquisition.

“Our relocation allowed us to reset and refocus our store around books and the love of reading, and we can't wait to welcome shoppers here,” store manager Teresa Noble said in a statement. “This new store is designed with the local customer in mind, and my team and I curated many books just for them. We will also have an updated and expanded gift department that I am sure book lovers will enjoy. Plus, our Café will be located right outside of the Kids Department allowing parents to get a coffee and see their kids exploring the shelves.”

Also on track to join the Commons are Ashley Furniture, Tap House Grill and X-Golf, according to village staff.