Indie bookstores are making a shocking, triumphant comeback (opens in new tab)

<p>Since 2020, the number of independent bookstores in the U.S. grew by 70%.</p> <p>The small American bookstore is back. Over the last five years, the number of independent bookstores in the U.S. jumped by 70%. In 2025 alone, 422 new bookstores opened, according to the American Booksellers Association.</p>