Independent booksellers continued to expand in 2023, with more than 200 new stores opening

By HILLEL ITALIE
AP National Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The independent bookstore boom continues. Even as industry sales were slow in 2023, membership in the American Booksellers Association expanded strongly. It now stands at 2,433, more than 200 over the previous year and nearly double since 2016, when membership rules were looser. The ABA says around 190 more stores are in the process of opening over the next two years. The book association’s CEO, Allison Hill, cites a range of reasons for people opening stores, from opposing bans to championing diversity to pursuing new careers after the pandemic.