The bookstore Barnes & Noble will open at University Place in Chapel Hill later this year, the shopping center said in a release Wednesday. The announcement was made while also detailing four other new businesses at the complex.
Three of those businesses have already opened: the SWTHZ fitness center, VEG Emergency Vet and H&H Bagels. The fourth, Bliss Nail Spa, is expected to open in Q2 2026. The salon will be located across from Jeni’s Ice Cream. It is Bliss’ second location.
“These five additions reflect the next phase of the center’s redevelopment and underscores our commitment to delivering experiences that resonate with the Chapel Hill community,” said University Place general manager Marni Sawicki. “We’re thoughtfully curating a tenant mix that brings together sought-after national brands, beloved local businesses and inviting gathering spaces — reinforcing University Place as a go-to destination in an evolving retail landscape.”
The Barnes & Noble bookstore will occupy more than 19,000 square feet and will inherit the former Planet Fitness space, located next to the Aveda Institute. It is expected to open in Q4 2026. Planet Fitness vacated its University Place location and moved to a new space on South Elliott Road in December.
Barnes & Noble has several locations around the Triangle, but this will be its first bookstore to open within the Chapel Hill town limits. The closest store to Chapel Hill is located in the New Hope Commons shopping center in Durham, though the UNC Student Stores have been operated by Barnes & Noble College since 2016.
Featured image via Chapel Hill Media Group/Brighton McConnell
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