Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell
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.

By Andy Corbley

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.

 

89 thoughts on “Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News”

  1. 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.

    Liked by 2 people

  4. 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!!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Wonderful news, John. Our area doesn’t have chain stores but there are a couple of bookstores – to the delight of all.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. 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.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. 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.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. 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! 😀 ❤

    Liked by 1 person

  21. 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
    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  22. 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

    Liked by 1 person

  24. 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!!!

    Liked by 1 person

  27. 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.

    Liked by 1 person

  28. 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!

    Liked by 1 person

  29. 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.

    Liked by 1 person

  32. 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.

    Liked by 1 person

  33. 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!

    Liked by 1 person

  34. 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

    Liked by 1 person

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