Leonard Riggio, Builder of Barnes & Noble Chain, Dies at 83

Leonard Riggio, the feisty entrepreneur who turned a single Barnes & Noble store into the world’s largest bookseller, has died. He was 83.

He died on Tuesday, the company announced in a post on X.com. “His leadership spanned decades, during which he not only grew the company but also nurtured a culture of innovation and a love for reading,” the company said. Citing his family, the Associated Press reported that Riggio had battled Alzheimer’s disease.

Leonard Riggio

Photographer:Bill Denver/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media /Getty Images

As chairman and, for a long time, the largest shareholder of Barnes & Noble Inc., Riggio ruled over a chain of bookstores ...