{"id":1218,"date":"2025-02-28T15:21:25","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T15:21:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/articles\/rising-number-of-independent-bookshops\/"},"modified":"2025-05-22T13:03:25","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T13:03:25","slug":"rising-number-of-independent-bookshops","status":"publish","type":"knowledge","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/retail\/rising-number-of-independent-bookshops\/","title":{"rendered":"A novel trend: how BookTok is reviving the high street bookshop"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Just in time for World Book Day, it looks like physical bookshops are set to see a resurgence: with new data revealing we\u2019re seeing the highest increase in bookstore openings in the past five years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it could all be due to the popularity of BookTok \u2013 a TikTok trend all about reading (and buying) books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on to find out why bookshops are thriving against a backdrop of struggling high streets, plus how TikTok is influencing the next generation of book buyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bookshops buck the trend with strong high street performance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

New data from Sumup<\/a> reveals the UK places where the number of bookstores has increased the most in the last five years. Check out the top 10 below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Location<\/strong><\/td>Number of bookstores in 2024<\/strong><\/td>Percentage increase from 2020-2024<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Manchester<\/td>10<\/td>100%<\/td><\/tr>
North Yorkshire<\/td>20<\/td>100%<\/td><\/tr>
Leeds<\/td>10<\/td>100%<\/td><\/tr>
Leicester<\/td>10<\/td>100%<\/td><\/tr>
Waltham Forest<\/td>10<\/td>100%<\/td><\/tr>
Brighton and Hove<\/td>10<\/td>100%<\/td><\/tr>
South Hams<\/td>10<\/td>100%<\/td><\/tr>
Cardiff<\/td>10<\/td>100%<\/td><\/tr>
Glasgow City<\/td>10<\/td>100%<\/td><\/tr>
Sheffield<\/td>15<\/td>50%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The research found that nine of the top 10 cities saw a one hundred per cent increase in their number of bookstores. This comes after recent Simply Business research<\/a> revealed that independent bookstores are set to become extinct by 2059<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is BookTok helping indie bookshops to thrive?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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With store closures<\/a> plaguing the high street, one trend that’s been credited with helping the popularity of bookshops to surge is \u2018BookTok\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what is BookTok? BookTok is a sub-community on TikTok where users create videos about the books they\u2019re reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hashtag \u2018#BookTok\u2019 has on average 163,000 searches each month \u2013 which is a 23 per cent increase from previous years, according to Sumup\u2019s research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you go into any highstreet bookshop, you\u2019ll likely see displays claiming \u2018TikTok made me buy it\u2019 or \u2018BookTok favourites\u2019, highlighting the latest popular books on the app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, retailer The Works credited the popular BookTok author Colleen Hoover with helping to offset its profit decline in 2023 (The Works Annual Report and Accounts 2023<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Online is no different, with many publishers and bookshops selling on TikTok Shop<\/a> to target the built-in audience of avid TikTok readers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ariana Sverdlik, Head of Global Brand at SumUp, explains: \u201cSocial media, particularly platforms like TikTok, has sparked a renewed interest in reading, driving demand for books and breathing new life into physical bookshops – an industry once thought to be in decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This resurgence highlights a significant opportunity for bookshop owners, both large and small. For chains like Waterstones, rapid expansion is a strategic response to this growing demand. Meanwhile, independent and medium-sized bookshops can seize the moment by building customer loyalty through initiatives such as loyalty cards, book-swapping schemes, and in-store experiences that bring the BookTok community into their physical spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“By adapting to these trends, bookshops can ensure that purchases inspired by trending books lead to lasting customer engagement and repeat visits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to use BookTok as a bookseller<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a bookseller looking to capitalise on BookTok\u2019s popularity, here\u2019s a few ideas to try:<\/p>\n\n\n\n