B&N CEO Says Things Are 'Much Better Now'

Daunt began by reporting that as of today, "all Barnes & Nobel stores are opened." He emphasized that when the stores were closed last year the chain began to return the company's focus to stocking and selling books. He said the mix of books and non-book products, is 65% to 35%, something he wants to change. "I would like the percentage of books [as stock] to be 75%," Daunt said. "As soon as you approach 25% non-book items," Daunt said, "you should look long and hard" if additional items belong in a bookstore. He said the chain was especially keen to add more backlist, an area he admitted B&N had been neglecting.