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Amazon.com was supposed to be the end of the world for indie bookstores, but the crappy literary emporium isn’t just staying there; it’s thriving.
The number of independent bookstores continues to grow, with 291 new stores opening last year, bringing the total in the U.S. to 2,433, according to the American Booksellers Association. This has almost doubled since 2016. And 190 more are expected to germinate over the next two years.
secret sauce
Many readers still turn to local indies because they offer qualities that e-commerce giants don’t have: soul, authenticity, and that special paper smell.
Brick-and-mortar bookstores compete by curating their own selections, which may specialize in topics such as drama or horror books. We also employ bookworms who are always ready to give lectures, and we organize in-person reading sessions and lectures that are frequently promoted on social media.
And while Americans read fewer books than they did a generation ago, choosing instead to stare at brain rot on their phones and immerse themselves in digital activities, indie bookstores are finding an unexpected partner in the form of TikTok. I found someone. BookTok, the app’s book corner, has popularized titles ranging from Sally Rooney’s award-winning Normal People to Colleen Huber’s It Ends With Us.
Not only do they sell books, they also sell coffee, pastries, George Orwell bobbleheads and other gift-worthy accessories, helping to diversify their revenue streams. —SK
