Bookstores Are (not) Dead

Once upon a time, most communities had at least one small, independent bookseller.

I have very fond memories of the used bookstore where I grew up, a little hole-in-the-wall place called Potluck Books & Things, and the huge BUY/SELL/TRADE emblazoned on the glass entry door (and the incredible smell of the place). We had multiple bookstores in most malls (B. Dalton, Walden Books, etc.). Then there were the big chains: Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, Borders Books.

It was a fucking wonderland, and most of us didn’t realize just how damn good we had it.

Many of those names are no longer with us, shuttered by the rise of Amazon and the conquering power of e-commerce. A ton of independent bookstores closed their doors, too (not all from Amazon’s pressure, of course; B&N played a role in that).

After all, who’s dumb enough to go out of their way to buy a book from a physical store when they could order one from the comfort of their own home, usually at a lower price point than what a small bookseller could offer?

Today, bookstores are an endangered species, the few remaining holding on by just a thread.

That’s the common logic, but it’s more than a little flawed. Not only are bookstores NOT dead, they’re making a resurgence. In point of fact, nationally, we have 3x the number of physical bookstores we did in 2016. Don’t believe me? Check out the numbers for yourself: here and here and here. (Seriously, at least read the AP article at the first link. It really lays out why bookstores are growing.) Don’t have time? Let me drop some stats:

• ABA membership grew by over 500 just in the last year.
• Today, there are 3,783 independent bookstores in the US (up from roughly half that at the lowest point).
• Print book sales actually rose in 2024 (and subsequently).
• Consumers are also spending more time inside physical bookstores (B&N’s average visit time shot past 45 mins in 2024)
• US bookstores have increased 70% since 2021.

As you can see, bookstores aren’t dead. They’re back with a vengeance, and their mission goes well beyond selling books. They’re building community and offering things that are harder than ever to find in this age of AI and virtual everything: authentic experiences and human connections.

That’s what Strangleroot Books & Games is also trying to do. Yes, we’ll be selling books, but there’s so much more that we want to do!

• Promote local authors with in-person signings and events
• Partner with local makers for any sundries we can
• Work with local businesses like breweries and other bookstores
• Host TTRPG game nights with another local bookstore
• Hold book festivals with all local booksellers featuring multi-author signings, local musicians, local restaurants, etc.
• Stock small press-published and self-published authors (25% of our inventory will come from small presses/indie authors)

Of course, we can’t do this alone. Getting Strangleroot up and running will take a community effort. Want to chip in? Fucking awesome. Here’s how:

1. Subscribe so you can keep up to date with things.
2. Share with the folks you know.
3. Help spread the word about (and, if you can, donate to) our crowdfunding campaign when it launches.

That’s the ask, folks. Stay tuned for more updates as we move toward opening our doors (and stocking your books on our shelves!).

Thanks,

Walt