Bookstores are finding new life as Americans lose many of their casual gathering places.
The big picture: The comeback isn’t just about selling books. It’s about turning browsing into belonging in an increasingly digital world.
Why it matters: Americans are spending less time together, raising risks for loneliness and poor mental health.
- Americans’ average daily socializing time fell from 45 to 35 minutes over the past 20 years, according to American Time Use Survey data.
- Among 15- to 24-year-olds, it dropped from about an hour a day to 35 minutes.
- University of Colorado Boulder researchers have also documented COVID-era declines in older Americans’ use of “third places” — gathering spots outside home and work.
That’s presented an opening for local booksellers…