Bookstore sales remain strong, while preparing for growth in 2025.
Book lovers rejoice! The outlook for bookstores in 2025 is better than ever. With book sales on the rise and a record-breaking amount of new stores poised to open this year, there will be plenty of access to books to go around. After a few slow years, bookstores have been steadily back on the rise since 2021.
Bouncing Back
Bookstore sales peaked in 2007, with the next decade seeing a slow and steady decline in sales, mostly due to the growing access to online shopping and a decline in reading overall. Revenue reached an all-time low in 2020, as part of a larger theme but more drastically demonstrated with the onset of COVID-19.
In-person sales were dropping across industries. The pandemic hit the independent bookstore industry hard but then initiated a push for their resurgence.
By 2021, bookshop sales were back up to their pre-pandemic levels and have been maintaining, with many new bookstores opening each year since.
Finding Community
2020 and beyond have left many people with a need for community spaces and in-person connections. The desire for “third spaces” (ie. places that aren’t home or work) created a demand for somewhere new to visit. As a result, the search for book clubs grew and bookstores stepped up to the challenge.
Independent bookstores are also becoming more diverse. New bookstores continue to open their doors and the number of black-owned stores has more than doubled since 2019. With new approaches to sales and a growing desire for reading spaces, bookstores are embracing their diversity and making it a selling point by shelving more works of diverse authors and holding community-led events at their shops.
Rethinking Brick-and-Mortar
Some stores are adapting the multi-purpose approach to bookstores. Bookstores by day might also serve as cafés, clubs, restaurants, or performance spaces by night. Some stores are opening up their doors to other vendors. Crafting classes, artisan fairs, and other community events are being held at local bookstores. Some shops are niching down, with a focus on selling books from specific genres like romance, mystery, or sci-fi.
The United States’ largest bookstore chain, Barnes & Noble, is also getting creative. In 2025, Barnes & Noble is expected to expand locations across the US, but some will feel different than their typical stores. They’re experimenting with size, layout and location to better serve the communities they sell in.
Social Media Sellers
Some stores are adapting the multi-purpose approach to bookstores. Bookstores by day might also serve as cafés, clubs, restaurants, or performance spaces by night. Some stores are opening up their doors to other vendors. Crafting classes, artisan fairs, and other community events are being held at local bookstores. Some shops are niching down, with a focus on selling books from specific genres like romance, mystery, or sci-fi.
Booksellers have also taken to social media to self-promote. Many independent bookstores have their own social media pages where they share new books, post reviews by their staff, and show the personality of the store by participating in trends.
Looking Forward
The rising trend of in-person book sales is expected to remain strong in 2025 and more bookstores are planning openings this year as a result. 2025 is shaping up to be another win for readers everywhere. With physical stores of other industries struggling to stay open, the boom in sales for bookstores is a breath of fresh air and proof that shoppers will come if you give them something worth shopping for.
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Migz
Carley Bishop
Carley is an editorial lifestyle writer and aspiring novelist. She is based in North Carolina where she resides with her husband and their puppy, Daisy, and is a proud graduate of University of South Carolina. Carley is a lifelong bookworm who enjoys reading everything from the classics to modern romances. When she's not reading or writing, she enjoys traveling, getting outside and trying new recipes at home.
