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Bookstores
Book chains and landmark independent bookstores worldwide.
210 entries
| Store / Chain | Type | City | Country | Region | Locations | Known For | Website | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnes & Noble | Chain | New York City | United States | North America | ≈600 (2026) | Largest bookstore chain in the United States | barnesandnoble.com | Owned by Elliott Investment Management since 2019, as is Waterstones in the UK; CEO James Daunt runs both chains |
| Books-A-Million | Chain | Birmingham (Alabama) | United States | North America | 200+ | Second-largest US bookstore chain; also runs 2nd & Charles used-media stores | booksamillion.com | Family-controlled (Anderson family); strong in the Southeast and Midwest |
| Half Price Books | Chain | Dallas | United States | North America | 120+ | Large US chain for new, used and remaindered books and records | halfpricebooks.com | Founded 1972 in a converted laundromat in Dallas |
| Powell's Books | Landmark Independent | Portland (Oregon) | United States | North America | World's largest independent bookstore for new and used books; flagship occupies a full city block | powells.com | Founded 1971; flagship is Powell's City of Books | |
| Strand Book Store | Landmark Independent | New York City | United States | North America | Famous for '18 miles of books'; founded 1927 on Fourth Avenue's Book Row | strandbooks.com | One of the last survivors of New York's Book Row | |
| City Lights Booksellers & Publishers | Landmark Independent | San Francisco | United States | North America | Beat Generation landmark and publisher of Allen Ginsberg's 'Howl' | citylights.com | Founded 1953 by Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin | |
| Elliott Bay Book Company | Independent | Seattle | United States | North America | Leading Pacific Northwest independent, in Capitol Hill since 2010 | elliottbaybook.com | Founded 1973 in Pioneer Square | |
| Politics and Prose | Independent | Washington, D.C. | United States | North America | Washington's best-known independent; major author-event programme | politics-prose.com | Founded 1984 | |
| Tattered Cover | Independent | Denver | United States | North America | Colorado's landmark independent bookshop | tatteredcover.com | Bought out of bankruptcy by Barnes & Noble in 2024 but continues under its own name | |
| Vroman's Bookstore | Independent | Pasadena | United States | North America | Southern California's oldest and largest independent bookstore (1894) | vromansbookstore.com | ||
| Square Books | Independent | Oxford (Mississippi) | United States | North America | Centrepiece of Oxford's courthouse square; strong Southern literature focus | squarebooks.com | Founded 1979 | |
| Parnassus Books | Independent | Nashville | United States | North America | Independent co-founded by novelist Ann Patchett | parnassusbooks.net | Opened 2011 | |
| Harvard Book Store | Independent | Cambridge (Massachusetts) | United States | North America | Famous independent opposite Harvard Yard; prints books on demand in-store | harvard.com | Founded 1932; independent of Harvard University despite the name | |
| Seminary Co-op Bookstore | Independent | Chicago | United States | North America | Scholarly co-operative bookshop serving the University of Chicago | semcoop.com | Founded 1961; member-owned co-operative | |
| BookPeople | Independent | Austin | United States | North America | Largest independent bookstore in Texas | bookpeople.com | ||
| Books Inc. | Independent | San Francisco | United States | North America | Bay Area independent mini-chain; traces to 1851, among the oldest booksellers in the western US | booksinc.net | ||
| Rizzoli Bookstore | Independent | New York City | United States | North America | Elegant store for illustrated, art and Italian books in a landmarked interior | rizzolibookstore.com | US arm of Italy's Rizzoli (Mondadori group) | |
| Boswell Book Company | Independent | Milwaukee | United States | North America | Milwaukee's leading independent bookshop | boswellbooks.com | ||
| Indigo Books & Music | Chain | Toronto | Canada | North America | ≈170 | Canada's largest book and lifestyle retailer | indigo.ca | Taken private in 2024 by Trilogy Retail Holdings (Gerald Schwartz); also runs Coles and IndigoSpirit formats |
| McNally Robinson Booksellers | Independent | Winnipeg | Canada | North America | One of Canada's largest independent booksellers, with full-service stores in Winnipeg and Saskatoon | mcnallyrobinson.com | Family-owned | |
| Munro's Books | Landmark Independent | Victoria (British Columbia) | Canada | North America | Landmark shop in a restored 1909 Royal Bank building with soaring coffered ceiling | munrosbooks.com | Founded 1963 by Jim Munro and Nobel laureate Alice Munro | |
| Type Books | Independent | Toronto | Canada | North America | Beloved Toronto independent with several neighbourhood shops | typebooks.ca | ||
| Librairie Gallimard | Independent | Montreal | Canada | North America | Montreal's flagship French-language literary bookshop | Not connected to the Paris publisher's retail arm; long-standing Boulevard Saint-Laurent institution | ||
| Librerías Gandhi | Chain | Mexico City | Mexico | North America | Mexico's best-known bookstore chain, founded 1971 by Mauricio Achar | gandhi.com.mx | Famous yellow stores and the slogan 'Estamos abiertos' | |
| Sanborns | Group | Mexico City | Mexico | North America | ≈170 | Department-store and restaurant group whose stores anchor book retail across Mexico | sanborns.com.mx | Part of Grupo Carso (Carlos Slim); book departments are a core draw |
| Fondo de Cultura Económica | Group | Mexico City | Mexico | North America | State publisher whose bookshop network spans Mexico, Latin America and Spain | fondodeculturaeconomica.com | Founded 1934 by Daniel Cosío Villegas | |
| Cafebrería El Péndulo | Independent | Mexico City | Mexico | North America | Pioneering 'cafebrería' bookshop-café group in Mexico City | Small chain of around seven branches | ||
| Librería Porrúa | Chain | Mexico City | Mexico | North America | Historic Mexican bookshop-publisher, founded 1900 | porrua.mx | Its Justo Sierra flagship adjoins the historic centre | |
| El Sótano | Chain | Mexico City | Mexico | North America | Long-established Mexican chain known for bargain and backlist stock | |||
| Librería Internacional | Chain | San José | Costa Rica | Central America & Caribbean | Costa Rica's principal bookstore chain | Also trades in neighbouring Central American markets | ||
| Casa Norberto | Independent | San Juan | Puerto Rico | Central America & Caribbean | Puerto Rico's largest bookshop, in Plaza Las Américas | casanorberto.com | ||
| Librería Sophos | Independent | Guatemala City | Guatemala | Central America & Caribbean | Landmark Guatemalan independent bookshop and café in Zona 10 | |||
| Yenny – El Ateneo | Chain | Buenos Aires | Argentina | South America | ≈50 | Argentina's leading bookstore chain | Owned by Grupo Ilhsa; the El Ateneo brand dates to 1912 | |
| El Ateneo Grand Splendid | Chain | Buenos Aires | Argentina | South America | 1919 Teatro Gran Splendid converted into a bookshop; repeatedly listed among the world's most beautiful bookstores | Flagship of the Yenny – El Ateneo chain (Grupo Ilhsa); stage is now a café | ||
| Cúspide | Chain | Buenos Aires | Argentina | South America | Major Argentine chain, strong in shopping centres | |||
| Librería Hernández | Landmark Independent | Buenos Aires | Argentina | South America | Institution of Avenida Corrientes, Buenos Aires' bookshop avenue | |||
| Eterna Cadencia | Independent | Buenos Aires | Argentina | South America | Palermo bookshop, café and respected literary publisher | eternacadencia.com.ar | ||
| Leitura | Chain | Belo Horizonte | Brazil | South America | 120+ | Brazil's largest bookstore chain following the collapse of Saraiva and Cultura | leitura.com.br | Grew from a single 1969 shop attached to a gallery |
| Livraria da Travessa | Chain | Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | South America | Rio-based quality chain with a Lisbon outpost | travessa.com.br | ||
| Livraria da Vila | Chain | São Paulo | Brazil | South America | São Paulo chain known for author events and curated range | livrariadavila.com.br | ||
| Livraria Martins Fontes Paulista | Independent | São Paulo | Brazil | South America | Big independent on Avenida Paulista, strong in humanities and imported books | |||
| Saraiva | Chain | São Paulo | Brazil | South America | 0 | Once Brazil's largest bookstore chain (founded 1914); retail operations defunct | Judicial recovery 2018; falência (bankruptcy) decreed 2023 and all remaining physical stores closed that year; brand and domain later auctioned | |
| Livraria Cultura | Chain | São Paulo | Brazil | South America | 0 | Famed chain founded by Eva Herz (1947); its Conjunto Nacional megastore on Avenida Paulista was a São Paulo landmark | Judicial reorganization 2018; bankruptcy decree 2023; flagship evicted and closed 2024; remaining stores and online shop closed in early 2026, with bankruptcy confirmed in February 2026 | |
| Feria Chilena del Libro | Chain | Santiago | Chile | South America | Chile's longest-running bookstore chain | feriachilenadellibro.cl | ||
| Librería Contrapunto | Chain | Santiago | Chile | South America | Chilean chain strong in design, architecture and children's books | contrapunto.cl | ||
| Librería Nacional | Chain | Cali | Colombia | South America | Colombian chain founded 1941 | librerianacional.com | ||
| Panamericana | Chain | Bogotá | Colombia | South America | Colombian books, stationery and media chain | panamericana.com.co | ||
| Librerías Crisol | Chain | Lima | Peru | South America | Peru's leading bookstore chain | crisol.com.pe | Part of Derrama Magisterial group | |
| El Virrey | Landmark Independent | Lima | Peru | South America | Miraflores institution founded 1973; Peru's best-known independent | |||
| Escaramuza | Independent | Montevideo | Uruguay | South America | Bookshop and cultural centre in a restored Montevideo mansion | |||
| Librería Española | Chain | Quito | Ecuador | South America | Long-established Ecuadorian chain | |||
| Fnac | Group | Paris | France | Western Europe | France's leading cultural/media retailer (books, music, electronics) within Fnac Darty | fnac.com | Media-retail group; book sales are a core category; also in Spain, Portugal, Belgium and Switzerland | |
| Gibert Joseph | Chain | Paris | France | Western Europe | Parisian books and media chain, landmark stores on the Left Bank | gibertjoseph.com | Known for new and second-hand stock side by side | |
| Librairie Mollat | Landmark Independent | Bordeaux | France | Western Europe | France's largest independent bookshop, founded 1896 | mollat.com | ||
| Shakespeare and Company | Landmark Independent | Paris | France | Western Europe | Left Bank bookshop (1951) at the heart of Paris expatriate literary life | shakespeareandcompany.com | Founded by George Whitman; namesake homage to Sylvia Beach's original shop | |
| Thalia | Chain | Hagen | Germany | Western Europe | ≈570 (incl. partner stores, DACH) | Largest bookstore chain in the German-speaking world | thalia.de | Part of the Herder-led ownership group; absorbed Mayersche (2019) and Osiander (2020); co-founded the tolino e-reader alliance; holds 50% of Switzerland's Orell Füssli Thalia |
| Hugendubel | Chain | Munich | Germany | Western Europe | ≈90 | One of Germany's oldest and largest chains, founded 1893 | hugendubel.de | Family-owned (von Hirsch family) |
| Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus | Landmark Independent | Berlin | Germany | Western Europe | Vast cultural department store on Friedrichstraße, open until midnight | kulturkaufhaus.de | Part of the Dussmann Group | |
| Standaard Boekhandel | Chain | Sint-Niklaas | Belgium | Western Europe | ≈140 | Flanders' dominant bookstore chain | standaardboekhandel.be | |
| Boekhandel Dominicanen | Landmark Independent | Maastricht | Netherlands | Western Europe | Bookshop inside a 13th-century Dominican church, a global design icon | Traded as Selexyz Dominicanen until renamed in 2014 | ||
| Scheltema | Landmark Independent | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Western Europe | One of the Netherlands' oldest and largest bookshops (1853), on Rokin | scheltema.nl | ||
| Athenaeum Boekhandel | Independent | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Western Europe | Spui-square bookshop and newsstand, intellectual hub since 1966 | athenaeum.nl | ||
| Waterstones | Chain | London | United Kingdom | Northern Europe | 300+ | The UK's largest book retailer | waterstones.com | Owned by Elliott Investment Management (since 2018), which also owns Barnes & Noble; owns Foyles, Hatchards and Blackwell's |
| Foyles | Chain | London | United Kingdom | Northern Europe | Storied Charing Cross Road bookshop, once the world's largest bookstore | foyles.co.uk | Acquired by Waterstones in 2018 | |
| Hatchards | Chain | London | United Kingdom | Northern Europe | London's oldest bookshop, founded 1797 on Piccadilly; holder of royal warrants | hatchards.co.uk | Trades as part of Waterstones | |
| Blackwell's | Chain | Oxford | United Kingdom | Northern Europe | Academic bookselling institution (1879); the Norrington Room in Oxford is a landmark | blackwells.co.uk | Acquired by Waterstones in 2022 | |
| Daunt Books | Independent | London | United Kingdom | Northern Europe | Edwardian bookshop (1910) with the first purpose-built gallery in a UK bookshop | dauntbooks.co.uk | Founded by James Daunt, now CEO of Waterstones and Barnes & Noble; small London chain | |
| Topping & Company Booksellers | Independent | Edinburgh | United Kingdom | Northern Europe | Independent group with large, event-rich shops in Edinburgh, Bath, Ely and St Andrews | toppingbooks.co.uk | ||
| Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights | Independent | Bath | United Kingdom | Northern Europe | Award-winning Bath independent famous for bibliotherapy and reading spas | mrbsemporium.com | ||
| Persephone Books | Independent | Bath | United Kingdom | Northern Europe | Publisher-bookshop reissuing neglected women writers in uniform grey jackets | persephonebooks.co.uk | Shop moved from London to Bath in 2021 | |
| Rossiter Books | Independent | Ross-on-Wye | United Kingdom | Northern Europe | Independent with shops in Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth, on the Welsh border | rossiterbooks.co.uk | ||
| Hodges Figgis | Landmark Independent | Dublin | Ireland | Northern Europe | Ireland's oldest bookshop, founded 1768 on Dawson Street | Mentioned in Joyce's Ulysses | ||
| Dubray Books | Chain | Dublin | Ireland | Northern Europe | Ireland's leading independent-owned chain | dubraybooks.ie | ||
| Akademibokhandeln | Chain | Stockholm | Sweden | Northern Europe | ≈100 | Sweden's largest bookstore chain | akademibokhandeln.se | Part of Bonnier; merged with Bokus online operation |
| Pocket Shop | Chain | Stockholm | Sweden | Northern Europe | Swedish paperback-focused chain in stations and city centres | pocketshop.se | Part of Bonnier | |
| Ark | Chain | Oslo | Norway | Northern Europe | ≈150 | Norway's largest bookstore chain | ark.no | Owned by Gyldendal |
| Norli | Chain | Oslo | Norway | Northern Europe | Norway's second major chain, combined with Libris as Norli Libris | norli.no | ||
| Bog & idé | Chain | Aarhus | Denmark | Northern Europe | ≈100 | Denmark's biggest bookselling chain (voluntary chain of independents) | bogogide.dk | |
| Arnold Busck | Chain | Copenhagen | Denmark | Northern Europe | 0 | Historic Danish chain founded 1896; a Copenhagen institution for over a century | Filed for bankruptcy in April 2020 and its stores closed; heritage name only | |
| Suomalainen Kirjakauppa | Chain | Helsinki | Finland | Northern Europe | ≈55 | Finland's largest bookstore chain (Otava Group) | suomalainenkirjakauppa.fi | |
| Akateeminen Kirjakauppa | Chain | Helsinki | Finland | Northern Europe | Helsinki flagship designed by Alvar Aalto, a modernist landmark | akateeminen.com | Part of Bonnier Books' Finnish operations | |
| Penninn Eymundsson | Chain | Reykjavík | Iceland | Northern Europe | Iceland's principal bookstore chain | penninn.is | ||
| Casa del Libro | Chain | Madrid | Spain | Southern Europe | ≈50 | Spain's best-known bookstore chain | casadellibro.com | Part of Grupo Planeta; Gran Vía flagship opened 1923 |
| La Central | Independent | Barcelona | Spain | Southern Europe | Cultural bookshop group in Barcelona and Madrid, based in a former chapel and palaces | lacentral.com | ||
| Librería Rafael Alberti | Landmark Independent | Madrid | Spain | Southern Europe | Madrid literary institution founded 1975 | libreriaalberti.com | Named after the poet Rafael Alberti | |
| Bertrand Livreiros | Chain | Lisbon | Portugal | Southern Europe | ≈60 | Portugal's largest and oldest bookstore chain | bertrand.pt | Its Chiado shop (1732) is recognised by Guinness as the world's oldest operating bookshop; part of Porto Editora group |
| Livraria Lello | Landmark Independent | Porto | Portugal | Southern Europe | Neo-Gothic 1906 bookshop famed for its crimson staircase; among the world's most visited bookshops | livrarialello.com | Charges entry, redeemable against purchases | |
| Ler Devagar | Landmark Independent | Lisbon | Portugal | Southern Europe | Huge bookshop in a former printing works at LX Factory | lerdevagar.com | ||
| laFeltrinelli | Chain | Milan | Italy | Southern Europe | 100+ | Italy's leading bookstore chain, mixing books, music and cafés | lafeltrinelli.it | Retail arm of the Feltrinelli group |
| Mondadori Store | Chain | Milan (Segrate) | Italy | Southern Europe | Italy's largest bookstore network, largely franchised | mondadoristore.it | Part of the Mondadori group | |
| Libreria Hoepli | Landmark Independent | Milan | Italy | Southern Europe | Five-floor Milanese institution founded 1870, strong in technical and illustrated books | hoepli.it | ||
| Libreria Acqua Alta | Landmark Independent | Venice | Italy | Southern Europe | 'Bookshop of high water': stock kept in gondolas and bathtubs against the floods | Self-styled 'most beautiful bookshop in the world' | ||
| Ianos | Chain | Athens | Greece | Southern Europe | Greece's leading book chain, combining bookshops with arts venues | ianos.gr | ||
| Atlantis Books | Landmark Independent | Oia (Santorini) | Greece | Southern Europe | Bookshop in a sea-captain's house, founded 2004 by a collective of writers and artists | atlantisbooks.org | Seasonal; runs literary festivals and a residency | |
| Public | Chain | Athens | Greece | Southern Europe | Greek books, media and electronics retailer with Cypriot presence | public.gr | Part of the Public Group (Olympia) | |
| Znanje | Chain | Zagreb | Croatia | Southern Europe | Croatian bookshop chain of the Znanje publisher | znanje.hr | ||
| Agenda Bookshop | Chain | Valletta | Malta | Southern Europe | Malta's leading bookshop chain | agendabookshop.com | ||
| Empik | Chain | Warsaw | Poland | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | ≈300 | Poland's largest chain for books, music and media | empik.com | Origins in the state KMPiK clubs of 1948 |
| Świat Książki | Chain | Warsaw | Poland | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | Polish book chain relaunched from the former book-club brand | swiatksiazki.pl | ||
| Knihy Dobrovský | Chain | Prague | Czechia | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | ≈40 | Major Czech bookstore chain | knihydobrovsky.cz | |
| Kosmas | Chain | Prague | Czechia | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | Czech book chain and distributor with bookshops nationwide | kosmas.cz | ||
| Martinus | Chain | Bratislava | Slovakia | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | Slovakia's favourite bookseller; strong online plus bookshops and cafés | martinus.sk | Grew from a 1990s book club | |
| Panta Rhei | Chain | Bratislava | Slovakia | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | Slovakia's largest bricks-and-mortar book chain | pantarei.sk | ||
| Libri | Chain | Budapest | Hungary | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | Hungary's largest bookstore chain | libri.hu | Part of the Libri-Shopline group | |
| Cărturești | Chain | Bucharest | Romania | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | 50+ | Romania's defining bookshop chain, known for design-led stores | carturesti.ro | Its Carusel flagship occupies a restored 19th-century bank in Bucharest's Old Town |
| Humanitas | Chain | Bucharest | Romania | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | Bookshops of the Humanitas publishing house | humanitas.ro | ||
| Orange Center | Chain | Sofia | Bulgaria | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | Bulgarian books and stationery chain | |||
| Vulkan | Chain | Belgrade | Serbia | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | Bookshops of Serbia's Vulkan publishing house | vulkani.rs | ||
| Delfi | Chain | Belgrade | Serbia | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | Serbian chain run by publisher Laguna | delfi.rs | ||
| Chitai-Gorod | Chain | Moscow | Russia | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | 600+ | Russia's largest bookstore chain, combined with Bukvoed | chitai-gorod.ru | |
| Biblio-Globus | Landmark Independent | Moscow | Russia | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | Enormous Moscow book supermarket near Lubyanka, founded 1957 | biblio-globus.ru | ||
| Podpisnye Izdaniya | Landmark Independent | St. Petersburg | Russia | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | Beloved St. Petersburg independent, family-run since 1926 | podpisnie.ru | ||
| Knyharnia Ye | Chain | Kyiv | Ukraine | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | ≈60 | Ukraine's largest Ukrainian-language bookshop chain | book-ye.com.ua | |
| Yakaboo | Chain | Kyiv | Ukraine | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | Ukraine's largest online bookseller, with a Kyiv flagship store | yakaboo.ua | ||
| Prospero's Books | Independent | Tbilisi | Georgia | Eastern Europe & Black Sea | Long-running English-language bookshop and café in Tbilisi | |||
| Books Kinokuniya | Chain | Tokyo | Japan | East Asia | Japanese chain (founded 1927) with landmark stores across Southeast Asia, the US, Australia and Dubai | kinokuniya.com | Shinjuku flagship in Tokyo; its Singapore store was long Southeast Asia's largest bookshop | |
| Tsutaya | Chain | Tokyo | Japan | East Asia | Nationwide Tsutaya book and media stores, largely franchised | tsutaya.tsite.jp | Run by Culture Convenience Club (CCC); Daikanyama T-Site in Tokyo is its design flagship | |
| Maruzen | Chain | Tokyo | Japan | East Asia | Bookselling since 1869; major academic and general chain | maruzen.co.jp | Now Maruzen-Yushodo within Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) group | |
| Junkudo | Chain | Osaka | Japan | East Asia | Large-format Japanese bookstores with deep stock | junkudo.co.jp | Operated with Maruzen as Maruzen Junkudo under DNP | |
| Sanseido | Chain | Tokyo | Japan | East Asia | Historic chain (1881) whose Jimbocho flagship anchors Tokyo's book district | books-sanseido.co.jp | ||
| Yurindo | Chain | Yokohama | Japan | East Asia | Kanagawa-based chain known for strong local curation | yurindo.co.jp | ||
| Village Vanguard | Chain | Nagoya | Japan | East Asia | 'Exciting bookstore' chain mixing books with novelty goods | village-v.co.jp | ||
| Morioka Shoten | Landmark Independent | Tokyo | Japan | East Asia | Ginza shop selling a single title per week — 'a single room with a single book' | Founded by Yoshiyuki Morioka | ||
| Xinhua Bookstore (Xinhua Shudian) | Chain | Beijing | China | East Asia | China's vast state bookstore network, founded 1937 in Yan'an | Outlets in every province; the retail backbone of Chinese state bookselling | ||
| Sisyphe | Chain | Chongqing | China | East Asia | One of China's largest private bookstore chains | Known for large mall-based stores | ||
| Zhongshuge | Chain | Shanghai | China | East Asia | Design-celebrated chain; its Dujiangyan store's mirrored spiral interior went viral worldwide | |||
| Librairie Avant-Garde | Landmark Independent | Nanjing | China | East Asia | Acclaimed independent in a former underground car park (Wutaichang), founded 1996 | Often called China's most beautiful bookshop | ||
| Fang Suo Commune | Chain | Guangzhou | China | East Asia | Cultural bookstores in Guangzhou, Chengdu and Xi'an with striking interiors | |||
| Page One | Chain | Beijing | China | East Asia | Design-led bookshop founded in Singapore in 1983 by Mark Tan | pageonegroup.com | Heritage chain: Singapore shops closed 2011 (a bargain outlet reopened 2017), Hong Kong closed 2016 and Taipei closed 2016; Beijing stores continue | |
| Eslite Bookstore | Chain | Taipei | Taiwan | East Asia | Taiwan's defining bookstore group; pioneer of the 24-hour bookshop | eslite.com | Landmark Dunnan 24-hour store closed 2020; 24-hour operation continued at Eslite Spectrum Songyan | |
| Kingstone Bookstore | Chain | Taipei | Taiwan | East Asia | Major Taiwanese chain, strong in Chinese-language trade books | kingstone.com.tw | ||
| The Commercial Press (Hong Kong) | Chain | Hong Kong | China | East Asia | Hong Kong bookshop arm of the historic Commercial Press | commercialpress.com.hk | Part of Sino United Publishing | |
| Joint Publishing (Hong Kong) | Chain | Hong Kong | China | East Asia | Hong Kong's 'Sanlian' bookshops | jointpublishing.com | Part of Sino United Publishing | |
| Swindon Book Company | Independent | Hong Kong | China | East Asia | English-language bookshop founded 1918, a Hong Kong institution | swindonbooks.com | ||
| Kyobo Book Centre | Chain | Seoul | South Korea | East Asia | ≈40 | South Korea's largest bookstore chain; Gwanghwamun flagship is a national landmark | kyobobook.co.kr | Part of Kyobo Life Insurance group |
| Youngpoong Bookstore | Chain | Seoul | South Korea | East Asia | South Korea's second major chain | ypbooks.co.kr | ||
| Aladin | Chain | Seoul | South Korea | East Asia | Online bookseller turned chain of used-book stores | aladin.co.kr | Pioneer of Korea's used-book superstores | |
| Bandi & Luni's | Chain | Seoul | South Korea | East Asia | 0 | Once South Korea's No. 2 bookstore chain | Filed for court receivership in 2022 and its physical retail largely wound down | |
| Popular | Group | Singapore | Singapore | Southeast Asia | Popular bookstores across Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong | popular.com.sg | POPULAR Holdings; also runs Prologue and Harris formats | |
| Times Bookstores | Chain | Singapore | Singapore | Southeast Asia | 0 | Fraser and Neave's book chain (1978), once a Singapore high-street fixture | Closed its last Singapore store in September 2024, ending a 46-year run; a single Macau outlet remained | |
| BooksActually | Independent | Singapore | Singapore | Southeast Asia | Singapore's best-known literary independent (Tiong Bahru) | Closed its physical shop in 2022 and continues online | ||
| Wardah Books | Independent | Singapore | Singapore | Southeast Asia | Specialist in English-language Islamic and regional-interest books, Kampong Gelam | wardahbooks.com | ||
| MPH Bookstores | Chain | Petaling Jaya | Malaysia | Southeast Asia | Malaysian chain descended from the Methodist Publishing House (1890); long Malaysia's No. 2 chain | mphonline.com | Closed many stores in 2020 and exited Singapore in 2019; now focused on a reduced estate and MPHOnline | |
| Lit Books | Independent | Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia | Southeast Asia | Curated Kuala Lumpur independent with a strong events programme | litbooks.com.my | ||
| National Book Store | Chain | Manila | Philippines | Southeast Asia | ≈230 | The Philippines' largest bookstore and school-supplies chain, founded 1942 | nationalbookstore.com | Family-owned (Ramos family) |
| Fully Booked | Chain | Taguig (Metro Manila) | Philippines | Southeast Asia | ≈40 | The Philippines' leading full-range book chain; Bonifacio High Street flagship | fullybookedonline.com | |
| Pandayan Bookshop | Chain | Manila | Philippines | Southeast Asia | Community-based Philippine chain with deep provincial reach | pandayan.com.ph | ||
| Gramedia | Chain | Jakarta | Indonesia | Southeast Asia | 120+ | Indonesia's largest bookstore chain | gramedia.com | Part of Kompas Gramedia group |
| Periplus | Chain | Jakarta | Indonesia | Southeast Asia | Indonesia's English-language bookstore chain, strong in airports | periplus.com | ||
| B2S | Chain | Bangkok | Thailand | Southeast Asia | Thai chain mixing books, stationery and lifestyle (Central Group) | b2s.co.th | ||
| SE-ED Book Center | Chain | Bangkok | Thailand | Southeast Asia | Thailand's widest book distribution chain, rooted in education publishing | se-ed.com | ||
| Asia Books | Chain | Bangkok | Thailand | Southeast Asia | Thailand's pioneering English-language book chain (1969), now much reduced | asiabooks.com | ||
| FAHASA | Chain | Ho Chi Minh City | Vietnam | Southeast Asia | 100+ | Vietnam's largest book distribution and retail company | fahasa.com | State-linked (Saigon Cultural Products Corporation) |
| Phuong Nam Book | Chain | Ho Chi Minh City | Vietnam | Southeast Asia | Major southern Vietnamese chain | phuongnambook.com.vn | ||
| Crossword Bookstores | Chain | Mumbai | India | South Asia | One of India's best-known modern bookstore chains, founded 1992 | crossword.in | Founded under Shoppers Stop; sold to new owners in 2021 | |
| Higginbothams | Chain | Chennai | India | South Asia | India's oldest bookshop business, founded 1844 on Mount Road | |||
| Oxford Bookstore | Chain | Kolkata | India | South Asia | Park Street institution (1919) with its Cha Bar tea room; small chain | oxfordbookstore.com | Part of the Apeejay Surrendra group | |
| Blossom Book House | Landmark Independent | Bengaluru | India | South Asia | Church Street landmark packed with used and new books | |||
| Kitab Khana | Independent | Mumbai | India | South Asia | Literary bookshop in a heritage Fort building | kitabkhana.in | ||
| Bahrisons Booksellers | Landmark Independent | New Delhi | India | South Asia | Khan Market institution founded 1953 | bahrisons.com | ||
| Full Circle Bookstore | Independent | New Delhi | India | South Asia | Khan Market bookshop paired with Café Turtle | fullcirclebookstore.com | ||
| Liberty Books | Chain | Karachi | Pakistan | South Asia | Pakistan's leading quality bookstore chain | libertybooks.com | ||
| Readings | Chain | Lahore | Pakistan | South Asia | Large-format Lahore bookstores with deep discounted stock | readings.com.pk | ||
| Batighar | Chain | Dhaka | Bangladesh | South Asia | Bangladesh's landmark big-format bookshops in Dhaka and Chattogram | batighar.com | ||
| Vijitha Yapa Bookshop | Chain | Colombo | Sri Lanka | South Asia | Sri Lanka's principal bookshop chain | vijithayapa.com | ||
| Pilgrims Book House | Landmark Independent | Kathmandu | Nepal | South Asia | Thamel landmark for Himalayan and South Asian books | pilgrimsbooks.com | Original shop destroyed by fire in 2013 and rebuilt | |
| Dymocks | Chain | Sydney | Australia | Oceania & Pacific | 50+ | Australia's best-known book chain (1879), now mostly franchised | dymocks.com.au | Also trades in New Zealand and Hong Kong |
| QBD Books | Chain | Brisbane | Australia | Oceania & Pacific | ≈85 | Australia's largest Australian-owned book chain | qbd.com.au | |
| Readings | Independent | Melbourne | Australia | Oceania & Pacific | Melbourne mini-chain; Carlton flagship won international bookseller awards | readings.com.au | Founded 1969 by Ross Reading | |
| Gleebooks | Independent | Sydney | Australia | Oceania & Pacific | Glebe institution since 1975, famous for author events | gleebooks.com.au | ||
| Avid Reader | Independent | Brisbane | Australia | Oceania & Pacific | West End independent with a packed events calendar | avidreader.com.au | ||
| Fullers Bookshop | Landmark Independent | Hobart | Australia | Oceania & Pacific | Tasmania's beloved independent, trading since 1920 | fullersbookshop.com.au | ||
| Whitcoulls | Chain | Auckland | New Zealand | Oceania & Pacific | ≈55 | New Zealand's main books and stationery chain | whitcoulls.co.nz | Part of the James Pascoe Group |
| Unity Books | Independent | Wellington | New Zealand | Oceania & Pacific | Wellington's literary landmark (1967), with an Auckland sister shop | unitybooks.co.nz | ||
| Scorpio Books | Independent | Christchurch | New Zealand | Oceania & Pacific | Christchurch's leading independent since 1968 | scorpiobooks.co.nz | ||
| Paper Plus | Group | Auckland | New Zealand | Oceania & Pacific | Co-operative group of independently owned book and stationery stores | paperplus.co.nz | ||
| Jarir Bookstore | Chain | Riyadh | Saudi Arabia | Middle East | ≈60 | Saudi Arabia's dominant books, electronics and office retailer, across the Gulf | jarir.com | Listed company (Jarir Marketing) |
| D&R | Chain | Istanbul | Türkiye | Middle East | ≈200 | Türkiye's largest book and media chain | dr.com.tr | Part of Turkuvaz Media Group |
| Remzi Kitabevi | Landmark Independent | Istanbul | Türkiye | Middle East | Historic Istanbul publisher-bookshop founded 1927 | remzi.com.tr | ||
| Robinson Crusoe 389 | Independent | Istanbul | Türkiye | Middle East | Beloved Beyoğlu independent bookshop | Named for its former İstiklal Avenue address | ||
| Magrudy's | Chain | Dubai | United Arab Emirates | Middle East | UAE chain founded 1975; books, stationery and school supplies | magrudys.com | ||
| Jashanmal | Group | Dubai | United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Gulf department-store and book retail group founded 1919 in Bahrain | jashanmal.com | ||
| That Al Salasil | Chain | Kuwait City | Kuwait | Middle East | Kuwait's major bookstore chain | |||
| Steimatzky | Chain | Tel Aviv | Israel | Middle East | Israel's oldest and largest book chain, founded 1925 | steimatzky.co.il | ||
| Tzomet Sfarim | Chain | Tel Aviv | Israel | Middle East | Israel's second bookstore chain | tzomet.co.il | ||
| Librairie Antoine | Chain | Beirut | Lebanon | Middle East | Lebanon's principal bookshop chain, founded 1933 | antoineonline.com | ||
| Diwan | Chain | Cairo | Egypt | Middle East | Modern Egyptian chain (2002) blending bookshop, café and cultural space | diwanegypt.com | ||
| Shorouk Bookstores | Chain | Cairo | Egypt | Middle East | Bookshops of Egypt's Dar El Shorouk publishing house | shoroukbookstores.com | ||
| Shahre Ketab (Book City) | Chain | Tehran | Iran | Middle East | Tehran-centred network of large cultural bookstores | Run by the Book City Institute | ||
| Exclusive Books | Chain | Johannesburg | South Africa | Africa | 45+ (2025) | South Africa's leading quality book chain, founded 1951 | exclusivebooks.co.za | Also in Botswana and Namibia |
| Bargain Books | Chain | Johannesburg | South Africa | Africa | South Africa's biggest discount book chain, mall-based | |||
| CNA | Chain | Johannesburg | South Africa | Africa | Historic stationery and books chain founded 1896 as Central News Agency | cna.co.za | Sold by Edcon to a private consortium in 2020; estate much reduced | |
| Wordsworth Books | Chain | Cape Town | South Africa | Africa | Western Cape regional chain | |||
| Clarke's Bookshop | Landmark Independent | Cape Town | South Africa | Africa | Long Street institution since 1973, strong on African studies | clarkesbooks.co.za | ||
| The Book Lounge | Independent | Cape Town | South Africa | Africa | Cape Town independent (2007) at the heart of the city's literary scene | booklounge.co.za | ||
| Textbook Centre | Chain | Nairobi | Kenya | Africa | East Africa's leading educational and general books retailer | textbookcentre.com | ||
| Nuria | Independent | Nairobi | Kenya | Africa | Kenya's largest online-first bookstore | |||
| Aristoc Booklexicon | Chain | Kampala | Uganda | Africa | Uganda's best-known bookshop, on Kampala Road | |||
| Roving Heights | Independent | Lagos | Nigeria | Africa | Nigeria's leading independent bookshop, Lagos and Abuja | rovingheights.com | ||
| Ouida Books | Independent | Lagos | Nigeria | Africa | Lagos bookshop and publishing house in Ikeja | ouidabooks.com | ||
| Laterna Books | Independent | Lagos | Nigeria | Africa | Victoria Island bookshop, a Lagos literary fixture since the late 1990s | |||
| Timbooktoo | Landmark Independent | Fajara | The Gambia | Africa | The Gambia's famous independent bookshop, founded 1996 | A hub for Gambian and visiting writers | ||
| Sangster's Book Stores | Chain | Kingston | Jamaica | Central America & Caribbean | 13 | Jamaica's best-known bookshop chain; books, stationery and school supplies island-wide | sangstersbooks.com | Founded by Ferdinand Sangster, who began selling magazines in Kingston in 1938 and opened his first store in 1941; the 1968 Harbour Street store was billed as the Caribbean's largest bookstore |
| Kingston Bookshop | Chain | Kingston | Jamaica | Central America & Caribbean | Jamaican bookstore chain for books, school supplies and educational materials; distributor of UWI Press titles | kingstonbookshop.com | Head office at 74 King Street, Kingston | |
| Cuesta Libros | Chain | Santo Domingo | Dominican Republic | Central America & Caribbean | 2 | The Dominican Republic's leading bookshop, flagship on Avenida 27 de Febrero | cuestalibros.com | The bookshop arm of Centro Cuesta Nacional, with branches in Santo Domingo and Santiago; runs the Círculo Literario Cuesta reading circle |
| El Hombre de la Mancha | Chain | Panama City | Panama | Central America & Caribbean | Panama's best-known bookshop name, with stores in the capital's malls including Albrook | Named for Don Quixote's hero; a fixture of Panama City malls | ||
| Paper Based Bookshop | Landmark Independent | Port of Spain | Trinidad and Tobago | Central America & Caribbean | 1 | Specialist Caribbean bookshop at the Hotel Normandie in St Ann's, noted for the region's strongest stock of Caribbean titles | Run by bookseller Joan Dayal | |
| EPP Books Services | Chain | Accra | Ghana | Africa | Ghanaian bookselling chain; flagship store at Makola in Accra, strong in textbooks and children's books | EPP Books' Makola flagship is described in reporting as the anchor of a national chain | ||
| Librairie Quatre Vents | Landmark Independent | Dakar | Senegal | Africa | Dakar's emblematic bookshop (Aux 4 Vents), with a wide selection of schoolbooks and general titles | Cited in UNESCO book-sector reporting as one of Dakar's leading bookshops | ||
| Librairie Clairafrique | Independent | Dakar | Senegal | Africa | Leading Senegalese bookshop, particularly for children's books and textbooks | Cited alongside Quatre Vents in UNESCO book-sector reporting on Senegal's book trade |
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