By Jason Leung
Today’s good news story comes from the Good News Network.
US Bookstores Coming Back as Barnes & Noble Celebrates 31st New Store and Indie Shops Dominating.
Ask most people around the country about the number of bookstores in their town over the last twenty years, and the answer will almost inevitably be that it’s gone down. However, the new Barnes & Noble in Papillion, Nebraska, is no anomaly—corporate bookstores are returning.
The new Nebraska location is part of a slate of openings envisioned to reach as high as 50 to 60 this year alone. These openings will follow up on the 31 openings from last year and match the booming book sales born during the pandemic and carried on into the post-pandemic world.
But the great news is that economic reports suggest that more than just corporate bookstores are flourishing; as the US book sales market continues to grow and diversify, the majority of the retail book market is controlled by small stores.
Yet further, this trend isn’t limited to the US but continues around the world, with 50% of all retail book sales, whether in Germany, India, or Nebraska, coming from the proverbial Shop Around the Corner.
“It’s so exciting,” said Janine Flanigan, Senior Director of Store Planning and Design with Barnes & Noble, when interviewed about the Papillion store opening. “We came to a screeching halt in terms of opening stores. We hadn’t opened stores in a very long period of time.”
Flanigan says the same thing about bookstores as Grand View Research, whose data were quoted above—that communities use bookstores as a gathering place to talk, meet, interact, and hold events.
“We opened 31 stores which is actually more stores than we opened in the past 10 years combined,” Flanigan told WOWT News 6, Omaha. “This year we’re looking to open somewhere between 50-60 new stores.”
While digital and technological forms of media such as eBooks, audiobooks, and long-form podcasts continue to grow at the highest paces, the physical book, bought in a physical store, has never lost its luster and continues to represent the largest chunk of book purchases nationwide.
The good news in this article is that we who write books should be glad to hear about the expansion of bookstores and that independent stores still hold the majority of book sales. Today’s JohnKu discusses readers. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Readers by John W. Howell © 2024
Chain stores expanding,
Is excellent news for us . . .
It means more readers.
Fiction Favorites 
Thanks for the update, John! For those of us who have outlived over a dozen US presidents, this is fantastic news. A bookstore: the best place to relish the excitement of holding a book in our hands, anticipating another great read.
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I agree, Grant. I’m one of those.
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Nice. Hope the trend hits here. One of the few B&N’s in the county just closed down. Can’t find any indie bookstores outside of comic shops too.
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Our B&N is going strong.
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I was puzzled when I heard similar news recently, but I applaud this. Hopefully it works for all … especially Indie authors!
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Yes, the chains are not Indie friendly but increased readership is opportunity.
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As you know, I read a lot, and I can lose myself in a bookstore. So, yes – this is great news, not only for me, but it shows more people are interested in reading!!
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That is an indication, GP. Thanks.
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This is interesting on several fronts. Thanks for sharing it.
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Yes, indeed.
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This is great news, John. We have a huge B&N store in our town and another is opening nearby.
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I guess the folks there like to read and buy books.
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I love this news of more bookstores!!
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Me too, Dave. 😁
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Wonderful news, John. Our area doesn’t have chain stores but there are a couple of bookstores – to the delight of all.
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A good bookstore is a treasure.
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Oh YES! Oh YES!
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😁
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I hope this is true and CC gets one! During the closures in the Covid years my favorite used book store closed and folded. I’d love to see them come back too.
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Yeah, COVID took many down. I hope theycan come back too. Thanks, Deborah.
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This is really good news, John. Thanks for sharing it. I can see how reading increased during the pandemic, and it’s good that it’s continuing to be popular. That so many smaller bookstores are coming in is cool.
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I would like to see them all thrive. Thanks, Tim.
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This is so exciting and such a happy news! Now we have to support them❣️
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Good point, Cindy. Support is key. 😊
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As a reader and an author, this is such good news!
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It is. I so agree with you. 😊
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Wonderful news indeed, John. Bookstores are my favorite places to visit and peruse. I’ve been missing them!
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It is great news, Noelle.
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That news is wonderful! I’m so glad to hear it.
Loved your poem. 🙂
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I’m no poet but I thought it not half bad. Quote from Escape (The Pina Colada Song)
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I’ve been so excited to see new indie bookstores. They’re so much fun to shop and visit!
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Yes they are . Thanks. 😁
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We have a B & N nearby which we continue to support, and this news makes me now think down the road we may see a couple indie bookstores pop back up here. Very good news, John.
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That would be a good thing for sure. Thanks, Bruce.
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Yay for more stores and readers! I just had a detailed dream two nights ago about the perfect bookstore.
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Oh good. Might have been a sign.
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Excellent news, indeed, John! Thanks so much for sharing. We live in close proximity to two or three bookstores, and I always love browsing the shelves. Good to know this is a growing trend! 😀 ❤
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Yes it is, Marcia. Thanks.
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This is interesting. A new Barnes & Noble is opening around the corner from me and once it’s opened, I will be visiting. Good news for a Friday! Thanks for sharing.
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Yes it is good news.
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Dear John
Here the number of independent bookshops is rising. Some of them are really beautiful and it’s an adventure browsing there.
As an author I see that much more print versions of my books are sold than the digital versions, it’s about four time more. Audio book versions are selling well.
Wishing you a relaxing weekend
Klausbernd
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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It is good that your books are selling. My ratio is 4 to one in favor of E-books. I don’t have any audio books.
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Books are a meeting place of writer and reader, so it only stands to reason that we get back to the personal effects of this interaction. Bookstores supply it.
Great story Boss
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Yes they do. Thank you, Pilgrim.
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Good news indeed! I spent many a lunch hour at the B&N bookstore when I worked in downtown Denver over the years. I wish them every success and hope the book banners don’t cause mischief.
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I hope so too. Thanks, Monika.
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Wow! I had no idea that bookstores have found their way back. The last article I read about Barnes & Noble said they were closing stories, and the future did not look good. Thank you for posting the good news!!!
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Of course this news comes from a Barnes and Noble employee so who knows?
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Doh! I neglected to apply the CRAPP test for validity of sources.
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Well, he may be telling the truth.
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He could be. 🙂
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Yay! I had not heard this good news. Portland has had a small used bookstore for years that has managed to stay open so far. TGIF, John!
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Great news, Jo. TGIF to you.
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Must be code, Karen.
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there is a romanticism to watching people read physical books. The eyes darting back-and-forth, the fingers gently turning the pages, the emotions flooding across the face… Priceless.
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there is a romanticism to watching people read physical books. Their eyes darting back-and-forth across the page, their fingers gently turning to the next one, the emotions crossing their face… Priceless!
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You describe it very well. Thanks, Pam
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This is GREAT news! The ‘shop around the corner’ continues to thrive, and there’s nothing better than a ‘real’ book you can hold and finger the pages. Chain stores expanding is the icing on the cake.
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I love it when the independents are doing well. Thanks, Jennie.
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I do, too!
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😁
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It’s the same up here, in Canada! There’s nothing like a physical book for an authentic reading experience. Thanks for sharing, John. Have a great weekend.
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Thank you, Mark I hope you have a great weekend as well.
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Thank you for the good news share, John! 🙌🏻
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Always a pleasure. Thank you.
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That’s exciting news. Though I often try to shop local bookstores, I was sad when Barnes and Noble closed in our city about five years ago.
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They may re-open. You never know.
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Exciting news! While I do love my Kindle, there is nothing to compare to a trip to the bookstore just to spend an hour or two browsing the books, reading a chapter or two in several, then choosing one or two to take home to add to the already overflowing collection! We are so lucky that we have a Barnes & Noble within 5 miles of our home, and in the pre-pandemic days we went EVERY Saturday, rain or shine. Since 2020, though, it’s more like once a month, but still a big treat!
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Sounds wonderful, Jill. I loved going to bookstores as well. A very peaceful experience.
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This is great news.
I love book stores, big and small. They enrich the quality of life in all communities. I love bookstore browsing.
Yes, JohnKu,(thank you) it means more readers. It also means more opportunities for small businesses.
We used to have a lot of small bookstores in the area I live. They would trade and sell books, as well as selling new. Sometimes I would bump into a rare find. I hope they come back!
Love small bookstores.
📕𝐗 📗ꭓ 📘Ẍ 📙𝟀
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I like them too. One can lose hours in those places 📕X 📗X 📘X 📙X
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Yeah! 📕X ⏰𝟀 ⏰𝟀 📙X
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⏳X ⏳X ⏳X ⏳X
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The sands of time… love it!
Hmm, they could also be an X.
O⏳ O⏳ O⏳ O⏳
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O⏳ O⏳ O⏳ O⏳ yes, Indeed
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💋O⏳ O⏳ O⏳ O⏳🌹
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How can I top this? Maybe this 🤗😘
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Ahhh back to basics! 🐂
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Yes,🐂 🐂
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🐂 🐂 🐂
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As a reader and a writer, thanks for this good news about more book stores opening! Friyay! 🙂
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Yes it is good news for sure,
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I welcome this!! I love bookstores.
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Me too, Patti.
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This should be the Excellent News Network! Or Unexpected News Network! Either way, great!
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Yes indeed
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[…] Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News […]
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Thank you for sharing my post today.
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