Barnes and Noble has been heavily promoting their new concept stores that feature an extensive hot food menu and alcohol. Only one store has opened in New York, although there are a few under varying degrees of construction. Long-time Barnes & Noble executive Jaime Carey was in charge of this division since June and he has suddenly resigned from the company.
Jaime Carey’s duties will be divided between Demos Parneros, the newly named B&N chief operating officer, and David Deason, v-p of development. Carey’s departure is not expected to change B&N’s plans to test different prototype stores.
According to Publishers Weekly “Prior to being named head of the development and restaurant group, Carey served as chief operating officer from July 2015 through June 2016 and chief merchandising officer from May 2008 through June 2015. He was also v-p of newsstand from January 2005 through April 2008.”
One of Barnes and Nobles biggest problems is installing people in key positions that have no experience. The formation of the Nook division was populated people with no technology experience and the restaurant group was spearheaded with someone who had zero knowledge of the food/beverage industry. They keep hiring CEO’s with no bookselling knowledge and then the bookseller wonders why sales are down.
It is unknown whether or not Barnes and Noble will eventually hire a new executive to run the kitchen division or whether the bookseller will wait until they find a new CEO. Normally when new CEO’s take the reigns they install their own handpicked leadership team to fill key roles.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
