Romance Bookstore Update: July 2026
There are now 300 physical romance bookstores worldwide; 8 new stores opened in July.
July brought a big milestone—there are now 300 physical (brick-and-mortar) romance bookstores in the the directory!
Thanks to this great Instagram post by Sara-Jade Virtue (@BookMinxSJV) highlighting all the romance bookstores in the United Kingdom, I was able to fill in a few that were missing from the directory.
I was excited to be referenced in the recent The Washington Post article, “I love romance novels. Here’s why you should, too”. I’m the “according to one database” the article links to! (see screenshot below)
Romance bookstore Fiction & Friction in Australia made the news recently with this headline:
After she caught teenagers involved in lewd behaviour this bookstore owner was forced to put up a “No Humping” sign. (The Today Show, Australia)
You can hear owner Brittany Schulz break down what happened in her Instagram reel:
Welcome to new Supporter of the directory, Vellum & Vine, Albuquerque’s first romance bookstore and coffee shop scheduled to open this summer. If you’re interested in becoming a Romance Bookstore Directory Supporter, learn how.
Become a Romance Bookstore Directory Supporter!
Overview
According to my research, there are now 300 physical romance bookstores in 12 countries around the world, 211 (or 70%) of which are in the United States.
If we also include online and pop-up romance bookstores, the total number of stores grows to 505 (370 or 73% of which are in the United States).
Growth of Physical Stores
So far in 2026, there has been a net increase of 70 physical romance bookstores worldwide (74 have opened, 4 have closed). In the United States specifically, there’s been a net increase of 54 physical romance bookstores.
Growth Rates (as of July 31, 2026)
Worldwide
2022: 10 stores
2023: 33 stores, 230% increase (3.3x)
2024: 95 stores, 188% increase (2.9x)
2025: 230 stores, 142% increase (2.4x)
3-Year Growth Rate from 2023 to 2025: 597%
United States
2022: 5 stores
2023: 18 stores, 260% increase (3.6x)
2024: 68 stores, 278% increase (3.8x)
2025: 157 stores, 131% increase (2.3x)
3-Year Growth Rate from 2023 to 2025: 772%
Have you heard about the Insider version of the Romance Bookstore Directory?
It’s a new benefit for my annual paid subscribers.
These detailed updates are a benefit for paid subscribers (only US$5/month or US$50/year). Everyone can see the high-level numbers before the paywall, but you’ll need to subscribe for all the juicy details…including a list of all the romance bookstore openings and closings! 🗓️
There are now 527 bookstores in the directory (including Coming Soon)—there was a net increase of 11 stores this month.
The following is a breakdown of bookstores by type: Physical, Online, Pop-up, and Coming Soon along with a list of ALL the recently opened and added stores in each category!
📌 Please note that these categories overlap—a store can categorized as multiple types. For example, a bookstore can be online and have pop-ups, with a physical location coming soon.