Author James Murray appearing at new Barnes & Noble in Eatontown, NJ

It wasn't that long ago we were able to head to the Monmouth Mall for a nice day of shopping and to just hang out. In fact, a year ago from today, the mall was still open in its former glory.

Fast forward to today, and the mall is under massive renovation. Part of the redevelopment is going to reshape the shopping experience at the property. And although we've lost many of the stores that called the Monmouth Mall home (for now at least), a handful of them aren't going anywhere.

Macy's is among the retailers that's staying put throughout the entire project. Another retailer that's sort of staying put is Barnes & Noble. I say sort of because although it'll be part of the future at the mall site, it's not staying put at its old location.

If you haven't been by the mall for a while, you'll notice the old Barnes & Noble store is no longer open for business. Although that may be a bummer for some, it's not all bad news. Thanks to the redevelopment of the property, a brand new store is set to open... and in a big way.

Author James Murray will be coming to Eatontown, NJ, to cut the ribbon at the all-new Barnes & Noble store, which is still located at the Monmouth Mall. The ribbon cutting is taking place on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 9 a.m., with James Murray also signing copies of his book as part of the celebrations.

The timing is also ideal as it means the new store will be open just in time to kick off the holiday season for 2024. Find out more by following @bnmonmouthmall on social media.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.