Books Inc. Branch Debuts in Santa Clara

The Santa Clara Square Marketplace, where the newest Books Inc. branch is located, held a grand opening celebration on Tuesday, July 26, which showcased the many new shops and restaurants officially opening for business in the 100-acre, mixed-use community.

Books Inc. is one of 11 retailers located in the new shopping center, which was developed by Irvine Company Retail Properties. “Where there was once nothing down here at all for people to come to, they created this,” said Books Inc. co-owner Michael Tucker.

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, the 165,000-square-foot shopping center, anchored by Whole Foods, features retailers such as Sur La Table, Lula’s Chocolates, and Corepower Yoga, as well as fine dining restaurants Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and Il Fornaio. In addition to retailers, the development offers office space and features 1,800 residential units.

Tucker said Books Inc. generally does not locate its stores in shopping centers. “We found we can’t get our events to work” in such spaces, he explained. But Tucker said that the company saw definite plusses to the city of Santa Clara, California, the home of many tech companies and schools. “We’re surrounded by thousands of people here during the day who really have no place to shop,” he said.

Irvine Properties also made clear to Tucker its interest in having Books Inc. open a shop in the marketplace. “That large corporations are recognizing that people want a bookstore, that they would go out of their way to make us a deal, is good news across the country. There’s recognition of what it is that we bring,” said Tucker.

The store is 4,000 square feet, in line with the balance of square footage to inventory that Books Inc. stores find success with. “The economy of the stores is what makes them,” said Tucker. “The staffs are completely different, the stores are completely different — the only thing that is the same is that everybody is trained the same so they can move around, and they do.”

Staff members from other Books Inc. stores will have the option to work in the Santa Clara store, as Tucker likes to offer current staffers opportunities to move up in the business before looking outside for help.

“The last couple of years have been a lot of fun,” said Tucker, as he has seen many young faces take on greater responsibilities within Books Inc. “They’re really so engaged, they’re sharp as tacks, they have tremendous energy, and, definitely, retail is a younger person’s game.”

Tuesday’s grand opening celebration at the marketplace kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:45 a.m. and continued with live performances by the Santa Clara Unified Spirit Squad, a meet-and-greet with San Francisco 49ers players, bread baking at Whole Foods, and interactive merchant booths.