Leonard Riggio, founder of Barnes & Noble, dies at the age of 83

Leonard Riggio, the mastermind behind Barnes & Noble, has died at the age of 83.

Riggio died “after a brave battle with Alzheimer’s disease,” his family said in a statement.

The innovator transformed the company from a single bookstore into the “largest bookstore in the world” in 1971, with 150,000 textbooks and reference books, according to the company.

“His leadership spanned decades during which he not only grew the company but also fostered a culture of innovation and a love of reading,” Barnes & Noble said in a statement. “Len's vision and entrepreneurial spirit changed the retail landscape.”

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According to Barnes & Noble, Riggio developed the concept of a “superstore” and transformed the industry through a series of acquisitions in the 1970s-1990s.

“Our bookstores were designed to be inviting, not intimidating,” Riggio told the New York Times in 2016. “They weren't elite places. You could walk in, get a cup of coffee, sit down and read a book for as long as you wanted, and use the restroom. These were innovations that no one thought possible.”

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In 1987, the company said it made its largest acquisition of 797 retail bookstores with the purchase of B. Dalton Booksellers, Doubleday Bookshops, and BookStop.

The acquisition made the store the second largest bookseller in America. The company is currently the largest bookseller in the United States.

In the early 1990s, Riggio developed the “superstore” concept, which the company says “helped revolutionize book retailing by combining a huge and comprehensive selection of book titles with experienced bookselling staff and a warm, comfortable and spacious atmosphere.”

A Barnes & Noble sign is seen in front of a store in Emeryville, California, USA, on Thursday, February 16, 2012. (Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

In the 1990s, Barnes & Noble turned its attention to the changing landscape of the bookselling industry by investing in e-commerce.

In 1997, the company opened its online shop and entered the e-book market.

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Riggio sold the company in 2019 to Elliott, an activist investor group founded by billionaire Paul Singer.

He resigned in 2016 but retained a significant stake.

Leonard Riggio, founder and chairman of Barnes & Noble Inc. (left), and his wife Louise Riggio host the Guild Hall's annual fundraiser at their home in Bridgehampton, New York, USA, Friday, August 9, 2013. (Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Riggio dedicated his life to literacy, education and the arts, supporting organizations such as the Children's Defense Fund, the Anti-Defamation League and Dia, a contemporary art museum.

Together with his wife Louise Riggion, the couple founded Project Home Again. The nonprofit organization built and donated 101 homes in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

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He leaves behind his wife, three children and grandchildren.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.