How 2024 became the year of the niche bookstore boom in Boston (2024)

Book Club

Plus: Friendsgiving at Trident, a new Porter Square Books opening, and "The Third Gilmore Girl" event.

By Annie Jonas

November 27, 2024 | 12:15 PM

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Hello, and welcome to Book Club.

Happy (early) Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrate. I will be heading back home to Ohio to visit my family and indulge in some much-needed relaxation — plus, the comforts of my grandma’s famous turkey and gravy. My stomach is already grumbling! In the same vein, I highly encourage you to subscribe to my colleague Katelyn Umholtz’s wonderful newsletter, The Dish, for all things food news.

If you’re traveling, I wish you Godspeed. For those staying in Boston, I’ve got some ideas about how you can spend your holiday. Read on for a deep dive into Boston’s niche bookstore scene and find great indie bookstores near you with our guide.

Boston’s niche bookstore boom

A new, exciting era of independent bookstores is taking Boston by storm – and shows no signs of slowing down.

What makes these indie bookstores unique? Well, they’re what I call “niche” indie bookstores. Each has a particular focus, whether that be a certain genre, a demographic they highlight, or a type of book they sell. At least seven of them have sprung up around the city in the past few years, and more are on the way.

They’re sprinkled across the region, from Brockton to Somerville, and largely owned and operated by women – many of them queer women and women of color. These new bookshops are quickly becoming essential hubs for those seeking intentional community.

Here’s a running list, in alphabetical order:

• All She Wrote Books (Somerville): A queer and intersectional feminist bookstore.
• Dr. Ellie Paris Social Bookstore & Ice Cream Cafe (Brockton): A social bookstore with an ice cream cafe in Brockton.
• JustBook-ish (Dorchester): A literary gathering space co-founded by Boston’s poet laureate.
• Lovestruck Books (Harvard Square): A romance-only bookstore, coming soon this winter.
• Narrative (Somerville): A bookstore emphasizing BIPOC and marginalized authors.
• Over the Tunnel Books (East Boston): A speakeasy-style underground bookstore selling cookbooks.
• Read My Lips Boston (Malden-based): An inclusive romance pop-up bookstore.
• Side Quest Books and Games (Somerville): A fantasy bookshop with role-playing games from underrepresented or marginalized creators.

Boston’s indie bookstore boom doesn’t just exist in a vacuum. More than 300 new independent bookstores have emerged nationwide in the past couple of years, according to the New York Times. Booksellers credit the surge to the pandemic and a renewed understanding that bookstores are more than just places to shop – they are lifelines for community and connection.

To learn more about Boston’s niche bookstore boom and to find a list of indie bookstores near you, check out our ultimate guide to indie bookstores in Greater Boston and beyond.

✏️ Pencil these in

Take a break from the news at these joyful literary events happening near you:

• Trident Books & Cafe’s Friendsgiving Get-Together (Nov. 27): Gather in the upstairs dining room to play board games and watch the Thanksgiving episodes of “Friends.” Special Thanksgiving meals will be added to the menu.
• Porter Square Books’ New Location Grand Opening (Nov. 30): Celebrate the opening of this new Cambridge space at 1815 Mass Ave. Festivities include book recommendations from local authors.
• Read My Lips Boston inclusive romance pop-up (Dec. 8): Find your next great read at the Hoppy Holidays Pop-Up Market at Aeronaut Brewing Co. in Somerville, MA.
• The Third Gilmore Girl: Kelly Bishop reflects on a life on stage and screen (Dec. 13): Kelly Bishop, the matriarchal character Emily Gilmore in the television series “The Gilmore Girls,” recently penned “The Third Gilmore Girl,” a memoir about her life in Hollywood and Broadway. Join WBUR assistant managing editor Meagan McGinnes-Bessey for an evening with Bishop to discuss the book.

📚 What we’re reading

“Intermezzo” by Sally Rooney

“Anyone with the ability to consume literature in any way, shape, or form should do themselves a favor and read ‘Intermezzo.’” – Jessika Landon, audience engagement co-op

We want to know: What are you reading? Tell us the last book you loved and we’ll feature it in next month’s Book Club newsletter.

💬 Wise words

I’m almost finished with “A Court of Silver Flames,” the last book in Sarah J. Maas’s “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series. I have always felt bittersweet when ending a book. It can be hard to leave behind the characters and world I’ve grown so fond of – particularly so with a series. So, I offer the plain but powerful quote below, spoken by our bookworm, Nesta, as a tribute to this deep affection for reading.

“I cannot survive without reading.” ― Sarah J. Maas, “A Court of Silver Flames”

— Annie Jonas