The Quiet Resurgence of Bookstores Might Not Be What You Think

In the past two years, more than 300 new independent bookstores have been opened according to the American Association of Booksellers. That certainly sounds like hopeful news for anyone who loves bookstores. The truth of the bookselling business, however, might not be quite so straightforward. The two articles linked above both spotlight booksellers who believe their stores are more linked to offering a social good than a profitable business.

One bookseller openly “looks at [his store] as a public service” while another converted his store into “the first not-for-profit bookstore whose mission is bookselling.” The question these stories raise is whether a bookstore that simply focuses on selling books can survive in 2022 and beyond? Or are we headed for a future where every bookstore is also a coffee shop that devotes 25% of its space to games, toys and other non-book items?