Waldenbooks – America’s Bookstore. America’s Gift Store.
Waldenbooks is a family of nearly 750 bookstores with locations in every U.S. state. Our employees have a passion for books and are dedicated to serving our customers. Step into one of our stores and you’ll appreciate easy, convenient shopping. We offer the biggest authors and the best titles, along with great savings. What’s more, Waldenbooks Preferred Readers save 10% every day on every book they buy in our stores.

Our History
The long and storied history of Waldenbooks began when company founder Lawrence Hoyt boldly decided to build a business in the depths of the Great Depression. He opened the doors of his rental library on March 4, 1933. By 1948, Hoyt’s business had grown from a single shop to more than 250 locations. With the advent of the paperback, he opened his first independently owned bookstore in 1962, naming it after the Henry David Thoreau classic, Walden.

In 1981, Waldenbooks became the first bookseller in the nation to operate stores in all 50 states. And in 1990, Waldenbooks started the incredibly popular Preferred Reader® program, offering special savings to frequent shoppers. Continuing our commitment to customer service, in 2002 Waldenbooks teamed with Amazon.com to launch Waldenbooks.com, bringing together the nation’s leading mall-based book retailer with the global leader in e-commerce.

Waldenbooks’ first mission was to foster literacy, and we continue to do so today. Our W.I.S.E. program offers discounts to schools, libraries, and businesses. We have also raised more than $2 million for Reading Is Fundamental. We faithfully support charity book fairs and promote nonprofit fundraising efforts that keep our communities reading.

About Borders Group
Waldenbooks is part of Borders Group, Inc., a publicly held Fortune 500 company that also operates approximately 400 Borders Books and Music stores around the world, as well as 36 Books etc. stores in the U.K. At the heart of Borders Group are more than 30,000 employees worldwide. Borders Group trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BGP.