Independent bookshops are enjoying a revival in the UK and Ireland, with their numbers reaching the highest level since 2012 as younger readers and social media help drive demand, according to the BBC.
The report said that 1,086 independent bookshops were operating in 2025, up from a record low of 867 in 2016.
For new booksellers, however, running a shop remains demanding.
The BBC spoke to Sally Flint, 57, who runs The Book Stop in Brigg, North Lincolnshire. She said long working hours and the demands of running a shop had presented challenges.
Flint also said she had noticed young people buying books to keep on their shelves “like a trophy book” after initially reading them on an e-reader.
BookTok, the book-focused community on TikTok, has also helped boost book sales. The BBC reported that TikTok generated £175 million in consumer spending on books in 2025.
Nearly half of young adult TikTok users who read books said they had bought one after seeing it on the platform.
Bookshops are also increasingly becoming community spaces, with owners organising book clubs, author events and other activities to attract customers.
“They’re actually a community and they’re creating events for people that love these types of books,” one shop owner told the BBC.
Despite difficulties including high rents and financial pressure, the booksellers featured by the BBC said they remained hopeful that their shops’ individual character and community focus would help build loyal customers.
