Book Stores NAICS 459210
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Industry Summary
The 2,570 Book store firms in the US primarily sell books, magazines, and other types of reading materials. Major revenue categories include trade books; text books; CDs, records, and related audio products; religious books; mass market paperbacks; and magazines and newspapers. Book stores also sell meals, snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, souvenirs, novelty items, and stationery products. The industry is concentrated; the top four companies account for 62% of industry revenue.
Challenges of eBooks
Electronic books and their proprietary formats have been a challenge for independent book stores.
Competition from Alternative Sources
Book stores compete with a variety of alternative sources, including online retailers, traditional retailers, electronic distributors, publishers, and libraries.
Recent Developments
Nov 11, 2025 - Federal Judge Rules Texas Book Ratings Law Unconstitutional
- A federal judge has granted summary judgment and ordered a permanent injunction to block a Texas book ratings law designed to regulate access to "sexually explicit" or "sexually relevant" materials in public school libraries. Book industry plaintiffs said that the ruling affirms the constitutional rights of authors, booksellers, publishers, and readers, and protects bookstores from the imposition of an unreasonable law that would have threatened their viability. The judge ruled that the Restricting Explicit and Adult-Designated Educational Resources Act "compels speech, is void for vagueness, and is an unconstitutional prior restraint."
- Interest in opening and operating independent bookstores remains strong, according to CO, the US Chamber of Commerce news site for small businesses. Membership in the American Booksellers Association (ABA), which supports independent bookstore owners, stands at 2,433 in mid-2025, up 255 from the prior year. Around 192 additional bookstores plan to open in the next few years, the ABA said in its annual report. Print sales increased in 2024 after two years of decreases, with unit sales of print books up 1% over 2023 to 782.7 million, according to Publisher’s Weekly.
- Publishers are printing fewer nonfiction paperbacks, according to Jeffrey Trachtenberg, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal who covers book publishing and media. New adult nonfiction paperback titles have decreased 42% in the past five years, primarily because new books are typically published first in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook format. Consumers who don’t want to pay $32 for a new nonfiction hardcover book can immediately buy the $15 e-book or you could listen to it on audio, and audiobooks are the fastest-growing segment of book publishing, according to Trachtenberg.
- Book store industry employment decreased moderately and average wages for nonsupervisory employees increased slightly during the first seven months of 2025, according to the BLS. Book store sales are forecast to decrease at a 1.21% compounded annual rate from 2025 to 2029, slower than the growth of the overall economy.
Industry Revenue
Book Stores
Industry Structure
Industry size & Structure
The average independent book store operates out of two locations, employs 26 workers and generates $3.1 million annually.
- The book store industry is comprised of 2,570 firms that operate 5,683 stores, employ 65,800 workers and generate $8 billion in annual revenue.
- The industry is concentrated; the top four companies account for 62% of industry revenue.
- Large companies include Barnes & Noble, Follett Corporation, Books-a-Million, and Family Christian Stores.
- The average per-student materials expenditure is about $39 per course or $341 per academic year, according to the National Association for College Stores (NACS).
Industry Forecast
Industry Forecast
Book Stores Industry Growth
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