Brunswick Barnes & Noble store manager Andrew Crouse at the store’s grand opening Wednesday. Jason Claffey / The Times Record

More than a hundred people lined up outside the new Brunswick Barnes & Noble before its grand opening Wednesday morning, and hundreds more streamed in throughout the day.

The strong turnout was a welcome sign for store manager Andrew Crouse.

“We’re excited to be here for the community and to have them finally come into a bookstore that we worked very hard on and are proud to put together for them,” he said.

Near the entrance of the Brunswick Barnes & Noble is a section featuring local authors, including part-time Maine resident Gigi Georges and her book “Downeast.” Jason Claffey / The Times Record

The Merrymeeting Plaza store is the chain’s second Maine location, joining one in Augusta. A company spokesperson said it will soon announce plans for another Maine location.

Crouse said the Brunswick store differs from older Barnes & Noble locations in that it carries a leaner selection of books and is less corporate-driven.

“We’re trying to fit the bookstore to the community rather than just have a cookie-cutter bookstore,” he said.

Books by Maine authors are featured by the entrance, and Crouse said the store’s selections will be determined with input from the store’s 15 staff members and customer feedback.

Dixmont author Lisa Steele attended the grand opening and signed copies of her book, “The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook.” So did Ogunquit author and illustrator Matt Tavares, who signed copies of his new graphic novel, “Hoops.”

The Brunswick Barnes & Noble is the chain’s second Maine store; a third is in the works. Jason Claffey / The Times Record

“It’s great to have more bookstores in a community, so I think it’s going to be a great addition,” Tavares said.

Crouse said the store will hold more local author events in the next few weeks and promote them on the store’s Facebook page.

“We’re more than happy to work with local authors to have them come in and have this space to display their books and meet the community,” he said.

Customers Kayla Duquette, of Monmouth, and Christina Nugent, of Brunswick, came to the grand opening Wednesday, and each held an armful of romantic comedies and thrillers.

“It’s a good selection,” said Duquette, who signed up for the store’s premium membership, which includes discounts and offers for an annual fee. “A little bit bigger than some of the other retailers, so sometimes you can find stuff that you’re looking for that you couldn’t find there.”

Barnes & Noble said it planned to open 30 new stores this year. Jason Claffey / The Times Record

Nugent said she usually shops at local bookstores like Bull Moose in Brunswick but was drawn to the new Barnes & Noble by its large selection of new releases.

After closing dozens of stores in the 2000s and early 2010s amid competition from Amazon, Barnes & Noble has experienced a turnaround after it was purchased by New York-based hedge fund Elliott Management Corp. The store’s sales shot up during the coronavirus pandemic and it opened 16 new stores in 2022.

“Our sales have been fantastic,” said Janine Flanigan, the company’s senior director of store planning and design.

She said the company will soon announce another Maine location; she declined to identify which community it will be in.

Beth Leonard, co-owner of the independent Gulf of Maine Books on Maine Street, said she’s not concerned the new Barnes & Noble will cut into her store’s sales.

“We’ve been here for 44 years and we’ve seen it all,” she said. “We love our loyal customers.”

The Barnes & Noble is the first book chain in town since Borders closed about 10 years ago.

“It’s what those chains do,” Leonard said. “They get what they can out of the store and generally go out of business.”

Of Barnes & Noble’s potential effect on local, independent booksellers, Flanigan said, “There’s always room for multiple bookstores in a community.”

Hundreds attended the Brunswick Barnes & Noble’s grand opening in Merrymeeting Plaza Wednesday. Jason Claffey / The Times Record