After closing its Roxbury store three years ago, Barnes & Noble is returning to the township at the recently redeveloped The Shops at Ledgewood Commons.

The new store (461 Route 10) is scheduled to open Jan. 17 at 9 a.m., with Pennsylvania author Amy Jo Burns cutting the ribbon and signing copies of her book “Mercury” – this month’s B&N Book Club pick.

Located between DSW and Ulta Beauty in a renovated space that was formerly part of a Sports Authority, Barnes & Noble’s 14,000-square-foot store showcases the highly lauded design seen in recent openings from the bookseller, including in Union and Paramus.

Store Manager Mary Videc said, “We’re so excited to be bringing Barnes & Noble back to Ledgewood.”

“The new store design is amazing, and the booksellers enthusiastically took on the task of creating a personalized experience for our community. The outpouring of support from local readers upon hearing news of our return has been overwhelming, and we can’t wait to welcome them into their new Ledgewood Barnes & Noble,” said Videc, who has been with the chain for a decade.

In shuttering its home of 26 years at the Ledgewood Mall prior to the property’s transformation, the bookseller initially opted not to reopen at the Route 10 site once the new shopping center was finished. However, in November, Barnes & Noble announced it would return in early 2024.

James Daunt, Barnes & Noble’s CEO, called it “a perfect example of the turnaround in brick-and-mortar bookselling.”

“When our lease ended in 2020 … bookstores were closing at an alarming rate. Now, just four years later, we are able to open many beautiful new stores, including those in areas we had previously left. It is immensely gratifying to come back to Ledgewood with this stunning new bookstore in such a vibrant, modern shopping center,” he said.

After more than 15 years of declining store numbers, Barnes & Noble is now in the midst of a growth spurt, with plans to launch 30 locations in 2023 and more than 50 in 2024. At its peak in 2008, Barnes & Noble had nearly 730 locations throughout the U.S. Now, it has about 600 stores nationwide, including 17 in New Jersey.