It's a bit surprising, but bookshops are actually booming right now, even in the age of TikTok and streaming. Apparently there's something about physical bookshops that people are drawn to, which bucks the trend of everything moving online.
Don't assume phones killed reading - they actually drove people to discover books through BookTok and online communities, which sent folks back to physical shops for the experience. There's something about browsing shelves, chatting with staff, and having a space to just exist that screens don't replicate, especially when everyone's tired of staring at their devices all day.
There's been a measurable shift back toward independent bookstores over the last few years, and a lot of it comes down to what they offer that your phone just can't replicate. The atmosphere matters way more than people think - you walk in and there's staff who actually love books, recommendations written by hand on little cards, maybe a coffee bar, sometimes events. It's tactile and social in a way that browsing Amazon never will be, even if the algorithm is weirdly good at suggesting things.
I noticed this firsthand when a friend dragged me to a local bookshop to kill time, and I ended up spending an hour just picking things up, reading jacket blurbs, overhearing conversations about what people were reading. I came home with three books I'd never have found scrolling on my own. That experience - the randomness, the human element - is what's pulling people back. You can discover something on your phone and then want the real thing, or you can just wander in looking for nothing particular and leave with something brilliant. Plus there's this whole vibe around supporting independent shops that appeals to people tired of mega-corporations, so it becomes a bit of an event rather than just a transaction.
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