If you wonder why support independent bookshops, the short answer is this: more of your money stays in your town, and you get a shop built around people, not algorithms. The table below shows the figures behind that answer.
This guide is a spoke of our wider look at independent bookshops.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Share of money an independent bookstore recirculates locally (US study) | 29.3% |
| Share Amazon recirculates locally in the same comparison | 5.8% |
| Average local recirculation, independent businesses (all Civic Economics retail studies) | 52.9% |
| Local recirculation at chain stores in those studies | Less than 13.6% |
Figures come from the ABA infographic and the AMIBA Local Multiplier page, plus the Irish Times report on shop counts linked below. They can change as new studies appear, so check the sources before you rely on them.
Where does your money go?
When you buy a book from a locally owned shop, part of the price pays local staff, a local landlord, local accountants and local printers. That money then keeps moving through the neighbourhood.
The research is clearest on this point. In an American Booksellers Association infographic citing Civic Economics, an independent bookstore recirculates 29.3% of its money locally, whereas Amazon only recirculates 5.8%. The figure is drawn from the ABA infographic.
A wider set of retail studies points the same way. On average, 52.9 percent of each purchase at local independent businesses is recirculated locally, compared with less than 13.6 percent at chain stores.
How reliable are these numbers?
Treat them as a strong direction, not a precise law. The studies differ in design, and the 29.3% bookstore figure and the 52.9% all-retail average measure different things, so they should not be compared with each other.
Many were also commissioned by local business alliances or bookselling groups. Still, the pattern repeats across cities. The AMIBA page notes that the first Civic Economics study, in Austin, Texas, found an independent bookseller and music seller returned more than three times as much money to the local economy as a proposed chain outlet would.
The same page says dollars spent locally recirculate 2-4 times more than money spent at a non-local company.
What an independent shop gives you that a website cannot
Money is only half the case. The other half is the experience of walking in and being met by someone who has read the books.
- Curation: a bookseller chooses what goes on the shelf, so you may discover titles you would otherwise miss.
- Conversation: you can describe a mood, a friend’s taste or a half-remembered cover and get a real suggestion.
- Local voices: shops stock regional authors, small presses and zines that rarely reach the front page of a big retailer.
- Events: readings, book clubs and children’s story hours turn a shop into a meeting place.
- Second-hand and rare finds: many shops also trade in older editions, which is where our guide on how to care for old books becomes useful once you take a find home.
Are independent bookshops actually surviving?
Yes, but narrowly. The Booksellers Association counted 1,069 independent bookshops across the UK and Ireland, with 77 new openings and 41 closures in the period covered by its Christmas survey, as reported by the Irish Times.
The same report quotes the association’s warning that closures remain a serious concern. In its words, “41 closures in a single year are still 41 too many, and they are a reminder of just how fine the financial margins in the sector remain”.
That is the practical argument for shopping there. Margins are thin, so steady custom from ordinary readers decides whether a shop is still open next year. For the longer story of how these shops got here, read the history of independent bookshops.
What shops do for a neighbourhood beyond selling books
A bookshop is one of the few retail spaces where you can stay for an hour without being asked to spend anything. That makes it a quiet public room, especially for people who live alone, for teenagers looking for somewhere to go, and for parents with small children.
Shops also act as a hub for local life. They host school visits, pin up notices for community groups and often work with nearby cafés, libraries and festivals. These links are hard to measure in a spending study, so the percentages above probably understate the full effect.
There is a cultural side too. Independent booksellers take chances on debut writers, translated fiction and poetry that a national buyer might skip. If those shops vanish, a part of that variety goes with them, and readers rarely notice until the shelf is already gone.
How to tell a shop is worth your loyalty
Not every independent shop will suit you, and that is fine. Loyalty works best when you like the place, so look for a few signs.
- Staff recommendations on cards or shelf labels, written by people who clearly read.
- A mix of bestsellers and surprises, rather than only what is in the news.
- A willingness to order anything in print, usually within a few days.
- A children’s corner or reading nook that invites you to stay.
- Honest advice, including when a book is not right for you.
Try a few shops, and pick one or two to treat as your regulars. A bookseller who knows your taste will save you time and introduce you to authors you would not have found alone.
Common objections, answered honestly
Some readers worry that supporting a local shop means paying more or waiting longer. Sometimes it does, and it is fair to say so. A heavily discounted online listing can be cheaper for a single title.
The trade-off is what you get back. A shop can find a book you cannot name, put one aside for you, or wrap a gift properly. Shops that also sell second-hand stock can offer low prices on older editions, and a good bookseller will tell you whether a copy is worth buying.
Another worry is that the research is one-sided. That is a reasonable caution, which is why this guide has treated the figures as a direction, not a guarantee. The sensible reading is modest: spending locally keeps a larger share nearby, and shops that survive tend to be the ones that people actually use.
Finally, supporting a shop is not an all-or-nothing choice. Readers who borrow from libraries, buy second-hand and also visit a local shop for new releases are all helping books stay central to town life.
Simple ways to support a shop you like
- Buy your next book there, or order it through them if it is not on the shelf.
- Give gift books from a local shop instead of an online cart.
- Go to an event and buy something while you are there.
- Tell friends, and leave a review for shops you value.
- Be realistic: you do not need to give up other retailers entirely. Moving even some of your book buying makes a difference.
Frequently asked questions
Are independent bookshops more expensive?
Show answer
Many sell at the publisher’s recommended price, so a few titles may cost more than a heavily discounted online listing. Second-hand shelves and local events often offset this.
Does buying locally really help the local economy?
Show answer
Studies by Civic Economics, summarised by AMIBA, find local independents return a much larger share of each purchase to the local economy than chains do. Exact shares vary by study.
What if there is no independent bookshop near me?
Show answer
Look for a second-hand shop, a bookstall at a market, or an independent that ships by post. Many take orders by phone or email.
Are independent bookshops closing?
Show answer
Both things are happening. As the Irish Times reported from the Christmas survey, the Booksellers Association recorded more openings than closures, yet it still calls closures a serious concern.
