Are Gen Z bringing back bookshops? Number of independent sellers has grown for the FIFTH consecutive year after two decade decline as young people shun Amazon for Instagram-friendly smaller retailers
- Number of independent bookshops in UK has risen for a fifth consecutive year
- This marks half a decade of growth following more than 20 years of decline
- In part due to the explosion of book-friendly trends on Instagram and TikTok
- On TikTok – the platform favoured by those in their late teens and early 20s – more than 34 billion people have watched videos related to books
From the late nineties to the mid 2010s, it seemed independent bookshops were dying out in favour of the growing beast of ecommerce.
The likes of internet juggernauts like Amazon saw the high street sales dwindle with independent shops closing all over the UK.
But young people may be saving the humble high street shop, as they favour Instagram-friendly indies instead of ordering online.
The number of independent bookshops in membership of the The Booksellers Association (which represents independent, chain and non-traditional booksellers across the UK and Ireland) has grown for the fifth consecutive year, marking half a decade of growth following more than 20 years of decline.
Young people may be saving the humble high street shop, as they favour Instagram-friendly indies instead of ordering online. Pictured: Book instagrammer Alice Myles in John Sandoe (Books) in central London
Daunt Books (pictured) in London’s Marylebone, has seen more than 100,000 people tag their account or location on Instagram
Many influencers (pictured) pose browsing bookshelves in city and countryside shops across the UK
Number of independent bookshops in membership of the The Booksellers Association (which represents independent, chain and non-traditional booksellers across the UK and Ireland) has grown for the fifth consecutive year, marking half a decade of growth following more than 20 years of decline. Pictured: One Instagram user in a bookshop
One shopper is pictured posing in the York Emporium bookshop as thousands of young people reveal they’re shopping in stores
#bookstagram has seen more than 70 million shares on Instagram, while millions more have posted photos with the likes of #independentbookshop and #booklover. Pictured a shopper in a UK store
Bookshops now have become tourist attractions – with many influencers posing up a storm among books across the UK. Daunt Books, in London’s Marylebone (pictured) has seen more than 100,000 people tag their account or location on Instagram.
Bookshops themselves are posting pictures of their own shops in steps to built up a community
The figures were released as part of its annual membership survey, which revealed that the number of independent bookshops in BA membership at the end of 2021 grew to 1027 shops, up from 867 in 2016.
This marks the highest number of bookshops in BA membership since 2013, which is in part due to the explosion of book-friendly trends on Instagram and TikTok.
#bookstagram has seen more than 70 million shares on Instagram, while millions more have posted photos with the likes of #independentbookshop and #booklover.
On TikTok – the platform favoured by those in their late teens and early 20s – more than 34 billion people have watched videos related to books.
Bookshops now have become tourist attractions – with many influencers posing up a storm among books across the UK.
Daunt Books, in London’s Marylebone, has seen more than 100,000 people tag their account or location on Instagram.
Here’s the most beautiful bookshop in West London🌸 #booktok #bookshop #dauntbooks #marylebone #reader #londonsecrets #jessysreads #fyp
New independent bookshops which opened in 2021
- Afrori Books, Brighton
- BOOK Leighton Buzzard
- Bookhaus, Bristol
- DNA Norwich, Norfolk
- FOLDE Dorset, Dorset
- Gloucester Road Books, Bristol
- Outwith Books, Glasgow
- Upper Street Bookshop, London
- Rare Birds Books, Edinburgh
- Storyville Books, Rhondda
- The bound, Northumberland
- The Accidental Bookshop, Northumberland
- The Athlone Bookshop, County Westmeath, Ireland
- The Ivybridge Bookshop, Devon
- The Reading Tree, Northamptonshire
The store, opened in 1912, claims to be the first custom-designed bookshop in the world and is filled with balcony, exposed beam and green lighting.
It’s previously been named the second most Instagrammable bookshop in the world.
Another that regularly tops lists is the Word On The Water, a floating bookshop on a barge near King’s Cross which has racked up 20,000 followers on Instagram.
Meryl Halls, Managing Director at the Booksellers Association, told FEMAIL: ‘After a challenging few years for the bookselling sector, it is reassuring to see the number of independent bookshops in BA membership grow for a fifth consecutive year.
‘The fact that the number of bookshops can increase in the face of lockdowns, restrictions and supply chain issues demonstrates the passion, innovation and determination of booksellers, who continue to bring books to readers even in the most challenging circumstances’.
On TikTok – the platform favoured by those in their late teens and early 20s – more than 34 billion people have watched videos related to books. Pictured is Foster Books in Chiswick, west London
Shots of exteriors are also popular online. THe Brick Lane Bookshop in east London is a popular Instagram spot
Many book worms have taken to Instagram to show off their love for books online – including this one in Hay on Wye
It comes amid a trend of people being more mindful with their shopping post-lockdown, with many people looking to shop locally, according to BarclayCard data.
Additional time has also meant people are doing more research to ensure the products they buy are made ethically, Retailers can take advantage of this by highlighting their ‘mindful’ credentials; nudging more consumers to make a purchase, something many independent retailers do.
But the rise of independent bookshops doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.
The Booksellers Association even has tips for bookshops on how to use social media as a bookshop – calling it a ‘community-building tool’ and an ‘extremely useful way to market your bookshop’.
Let me take a shelfie! Falmouth bookshop shared a snap of their display to their fans online
Book Bar UK, in north London, often shares snaps of their books and in store events online
West End Lane Books, in north London, also shared snaps inside their cosy store
Meryl added: ‘While we celebrate this good news as we head into the new year, it is important to recognise the context for this growth.
‘The high street is still in a precarious position, with potential disruption to retail activity and consumer confidence on the horizon, the playing field still skewed in the favour of tech giants, and supply chains causing issues across retail.
‘While booksellers continue to be leaders on their high streets and main streets, as evidenced in the research undertaken for the BA by the Institute of Place Management (IPM), they need to be supported in order to keep doing their important work.
‘We will continue to lobby the Government to support booksellers and provide proper assistance and guidance, and are working with publishers and distributors to ease the effect of supply chain issues on bookshops.
‘And, as ever, we will work to encourage the public to choose bookshops whenever they can.’
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