Additional Coverage:
- Independent bookstores are multiplying, although many people still think they’re dying out (apnews.com)
Independent Bookstores on the Rise: A Revival Amid Giants and Challenges
NEW YORK – Contrary to the popular narrative that physical bookstores are vanishing relics, independent bookstores across the U.S. are experiencing a notable resurgence. Allison Hill, CEO of the American Booksellers Association (ABA), often encounters sympathy from strangers who assume her work is tied to a dying industry.
“It’s all so funny,” she reflects. “People say it’s sad that independent bookstores are disappearing, but the reality is very different.”
While films and popular culture have long portrayed bookstores as shrinking businesses, the latest data from the ABA paints a more optimistic picture. Over the past year, ABA membership grew by more than 500 stores, reaching a total of 3,417 members operating at 3,783 locations.
This surge nearly triples the number from a decade ago and marks the highest membership since the late 1990s. The expanding roster includes a variety of formats-from traditional general interest shops like Hey Books!
in San Diego to mobile bookshops such as the Wandering Quills Bookshop in Ohio, and even pop-up stores like Banyan Books in Florida.
The growth reflects current trends in popular genres as well, with many new indie stores specializing in romance, fantasy, and “romantasy.” Examples include Denver’s Spicy Librarian and Austin’s Flutter Romance Bookstore, which embraces the promise that “every story ends in happily-ever-after.”
Bookselling as a Vocation and Community Hub
Independent bookselling remains more a labor of passion than a path to wealth. It attracts idealists, whether young people pursuing a mission-driven career, retirees seeking new ventures, or mid-career professionals searching for meaningful change. Hill notes that many people want to realign their work with personal values.
Kelley Hartnett of Wentzville, Missouri, embodies this spirit. A marketing consultant by trade, Hartnett fulfilled a lifelong dream by opening the Double Dog Bookshop in 2025, initially as a mobile store operating out of a converted cargo trailer alongside her two Australian Cattle Dogs.
Since then, she has established a downtown storefront and envisions an even larger space to foster community. “Double Dog is about maybe 50% books and 50% community,” she explains.
“People crave real, in-person connection-they’re tired of virtual meetings and online algorithms. Face-to-face interaction feels healing.”
While the independent bookstore scene is thriving, Hill acknowledges it remains “precarious.” Rising costs and reduced budgets for schools and libraries limit purchases from local shops, challenging owners to sustain their businesses.
Navigating Competition with Giants
Ironically, independent bookstore owners now find themselves watching Barnes & Noble with a mix of concern and cautious optimism. Once the dominant force that contributed to the closure of many indie stores in the 1980s and 1990s, Barnes & Noble faltered in the 2010s as Amazon took the lead. The chain then shuttered numerous locations and experienced ownership changes before hedge fund Elliott Management acquired it in 2019.
Since then, under CEO James Daunt’s leadership, Barnes & Noble has reversed course, opening over 100 stores in two years. Some indie owners, like the proprietor of Chicago’s Volume Books, attribute their closures to the renewed presence of the superstore. Hill adds that even small dips in sales can be critical in an industry operating on razor-thin margins.
Daunt, however, stresses that competing aggressively with independents is not part of his strategy. “I’m an independent seller myself,” he says, referencing his founding of Daunt Books in London. He views the market as expansive rather than zero-sum.
New independent stores like The Book Loft Oak Park, which opened last summer near a soon-to-arrive Barnes & Noble, express mixed feelings but remain hopeful. Owners Heather Nelson and Sophie Schauer Eldred see potential synergy: “We’re hoping people whose curiosity is piqued by the new Barnes & Noble will walk down the street and pop into our bookstore,” Schauer Eldred says.
As independent bookstores continue to grow and evolve, they underscore a renewed appreciation for community, personal connection, and the unique experience of discovering books beyond the digital realm.