A new chapter was written for Third Street Promenade on Wednesday, a welcome callback to this mall’s glorious book history.

After more than six years of dormancy, a new Barnes & Noble opened on the Promenade on Wednesday morning, attracting both book lovers and casual readers to the two-story store. The bookstore giant was one of the highlights on the Promenade’s northeast corner for 22 years before closing in January 2018. For many, the return is a full-circle moment.

For Mayor Phil Brock, the opening marked a return to the same location at 1318 Promenade that once housed a Montgomery Ward department store where his mother worked while the mayor attended Samohi School.

“It’s a wonderful day to be in Santa Monica and witness the opening of the store that we have loved for a generation…that was Santa Monica’s bookstore for so many years, and it’s great to see the store again…You will be extremely pleased when you walk into this Barnes & Noble,” Brock said.

For developer and real estate agent Wally Marks, it means the opening of another bookstore at 1318, pushed forward by his family after father Wally and himself brought the Midnight Special Bookstore to the space in the 1990s. Marks thanked everyone who helped with the project, such as city planning and Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. staff, as well as the contractors who succeeded on a “difficult building site.”

The former B&N location on the boardwalk was remembered by author Olivie Blake, who wrote the New York Times bestseller “The Atlas Six” while living in Santa Monica and cited visits to the bookstore with her husband as her ultimate inspiration.

“One day we were walking through… and I said, one day I want my books to be here in the science fiction and fantasy section… and now I’m here,” Blake said.

Blake was part of the new store’s welcoming committee and spent the morning signing books. She was joined throughout the day by Brady Smith (known for his book projects and for attempting to buy Dennis Reynolds’ “Amphibious Exploring Vehicle” in a famous scene from “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia”), Victoria Aveyard and Marie Lu.

Inside, customers were delighted by the store’s warm lighting and vast selection. The store features books from authors from A to Z in the genres of fiction and romance. The top floor also houses the young adult, science fiction, fantasy, crime, thriller and poetry catalogs, as well as the New and Noteworthy section and a local summer reading list compiled by DTSM staff. Favorites on DTSM’s list include The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy and Hotel Laguna by Nicola Harrison.

In the middle of the store, a staircase leads to the ground floor, which manager Sarah Abel described as “a little labyrinth.” The unique layout contains an enormous amount of treasures beyond books, from DVDs and records to board games and children’s toys.

“I’ve never worked in a store like this before and I think it’s so amazing and cool to be able to truly be our own community bookstore,” Abel said.

Abel was previously a manager at B&N in Burbank and took the job in Santa Monica to help with the company’s expansion in California. She noted that the focus on children’s activities and games on the ground floor was very poignant and should inspire future generations.

“We want them to read, we want them to engage… I feel like every generation has a Barnes & Noble story… that’s what we want here: for the kids to come in and then when they come back in their 20s, 30s and 40s, to bring their kids,” Abel added.

Santa Monica officials have focused on bringing visitors of all ages to the boardwalk, and B&N is the latest step in the mall’s revitalization efforts. In just the past few weeks, B&N has joined Candles on Tap, Yogurtland and Miniso among the businesses taking up space on the boardwalk, a trend that Vice Mayor Lana Negrete called a “comeback” for the location.

“We want stores like that,” Negrete said. “I have a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old who both love to read. They loved hanging out at Barnes & Noble and missed it. It’s really cool when I drop them off at school and hear all the kids talking about Barnes & Noble opening. I thought that was really cool. I’m glad they actually have a real book in their hands now and have a cool place to hang out when they’re out and about.”

City Council member Oscar de la Torre added that B&N is “an example of how we are turning things around,” and stressed that the city will work to make the boardwalk a “safer experience” for both residents and visitors.

Regardless of the business implications, Abel says her main mission is to broaden the horizons of curious readers, which is why she has continued to work at B&N with great passion for years to come.

“There’s no better feeling than helping the right person find the right book… seeing someone go home with a really good book and knowing that it’s going to impact them, and that our conversation impacted me,” Abel said. “It’s such a high that I never get tired of.”

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