Romance Bookstore Update: June 2026
There are now 289 physical romance bookstores worldwide; 6 new physical stores opened in June.
As of the end of June 2026, the directory has more than 500 store listings! 516 to be exact. I used to be able to instantly recognize which stores I’ve already added to the directory, but with so many stores (and so many similar names!) I’m having to double check more and more.
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Overview
According to my research, there are now 289 physical romance bookstores in 12 countries around the world, 205 (or 71%) of which are in the United States.
If we also include online and pop-up romance bookstores, the total number of stores grows to 492 (362 or 74% of which are in the United States).
Growth of Physical Stores
So far in 2026, there has been a net increase of 59 physical romance bookstores worldwide (63 have opened, 4 have closed). In the United States specifically, there’s been a net increase of 48 physical romance bookstores.
Growth Rates (as of June 30, 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%
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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 516 bookstores in the directory (including Coming Soon)—there was a net increase of 41 stores this month (I discovered a lot of older online and pop-up stores).
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.