Hong Kong police arrested five people from two independent bookstores for allegedly selling "seditious" content, sparking concern and a surge in sales of a related book in Taiwan. Taiwan's president and booksellers condemned the arrests, highlighting censorship fears and cross-strait tensions.
Rakuten's Kobo e-reader, once thought to support independent bookstores via their websites, is experiencing delays in its partnership with Bookshop.org. Originally slated for 2025, then 2026, the integration is now tentatively expected "later this year," according to Bookshop.org's CEO.
About 422 indie bookshops opened in 2025, up 31%, defying predictions of retail consolidationFor years now, we have heard that Amazon and the big chains are crushing small businesses, but independent bookstores are suddenly making a comeback.About 422 new indie bookshops opened in 2025, according to the American Booksellers Association, a 31% rise from 2024. Countless independent restaurants, coffee shops, fitness centers, movie theaters, clothing stores and other small businesses also continue to thrive even in this era of ever-bigger retailers, fast-casual restaurants and massive e-commerce platforms. Continue reading...
