Indie Bookstores: A Renaissance Story

Amber Tatum
Apr 28
2 min read

It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 hit small businesses HARD. At the time, many of these small businesses had to make some impossible choices. In many cases it was pivot and get creative or close up shop. One such business was the small but mighty independent bookstore.

In 2020 and 2021, all of the articles written about bookstores were depressing and defeatist. I refuse to even link them here because it’s not something I want us to dwell on. However, 2022 rolled around and suddenly the journalistic subject lines took a turn toward the optimistic. In the wake of that dark time, communities rallied and decided that their local bookstores were special and deserved new life.

I am delighted to report that in 2026, the bookstore is not only surviving but it’s also thriving with new stores being opened at an impressive clip, record foot traffic, and surging sales. Actually, the word “renaissance” shows up in almost everything written about them nowadays. Many people are calling them the “third space” of the past few years. The “third space” refers to a 2001 book by Ray Oldenburg called “The Third Place” in which Oldenburg presents the idea of the third places as the “great good places” at the heart of our communities. Places that people view as havens in turbulent times.

Perhaps all of that good news is responsible for the heightened celebratory feeling of this year’s Independent Bookstore Day!? This past Saturday was the annual Independent Bookstore Day, during which indie bookstores all across the country open their doors to the community to come celebrate the joy and magic of all that they have to offer. There are raffles, prizes, special merch, and all kinds of bookish goodies to enjoy! Just like Record Store Day, there is limited edition merch to be hunted like the always exciting…tote bag! (book people are mostly easy to please)

Here in Middle Tennessee, there was a bookstore crawl with a “passport” of sorts that allowed a free raffle entry for every store visited. The fact that we have enough bookstores to create a crawl is a miracle in itself! I visited my favorite neighborhood joint, The Bookshop Nashville, this weekend. I have been shopping at this little shop for a decade now! It’s been 10 years of browsing, buying, events, and friendship with the owner, Joelle Herr. This is truly my sacred “third space” and I will gladly stand in line (a first for IBD!) to shop at this community stronghold.

Along with The Bookshop, I have linked some of my favorite bookstores in my hometown of Nashville and a couple that I have visited in Lindsay’s hometown of Bloomington, Indiana! Check them out and please find your own local bookstores to visit! Bezos is rich enough. Buy local! Let’s keep this literary renaissance raging!