This is a list of bookstore chains with brick-and-mortar locations.
In the United Kingdom and many parts of the English speaking world, they are known as "Bookshops" and "newsagents".
In American English, they are called "bookstores", or sometimes "newsstands", as they also usually carry newspapers and magazines. This list includes both current and defunct businesses, and also includes large independent bookstores that have multiple locations, but that use a different business model than most business chains.
For these lists, a chain is a bookstore with at least 4 locations.
Current
Name Country NotesCollins Booksellers Dymocks Booksellers Koorong Queensland Book Depot WHSmith Livraria Cultura Archambault 13 (owned by Renaud-Bray)Book City 4Chapters 20 (owned by Indigo Books and Music)Coles 56 (owned by Indigo Books and Music)Indigo Books and Music 156 (including all Coles and Chapters locations)Kobo eBookstore McNally Robinson 3Renaud-Bray 31 (including all Archambault locations)Joint Publishing Page One Popular The Commercial Press Rahva Raamat Academic Bookstore (, )Suomalainen Kirjakauppa ("The Finnish Bookstore")Fnac 78 stores with book departments in France, 65 in 8 other countriesHachette Distribution Services Furet du Nord Hugendubel 34 book-department-storesThalia Weltbild closed since 2024, online assets taken over by ThaliaIanos Eymundsson A. H. Wheeler Crossword Bookstores DC Books Higginbotham's Landmark Bookstores Odyssey Oxford Bookstore Sapna Book House Gramedia Gunung Agung Eason & Son Hodges Figgis part of the UK Waterstone's brand Comikaza former chain, still exists as a stand-alone storeSteimatzky Tzomet Sfarim Feltrinelli Arnoldo Mondadori Editore Giunti Editore Book Off Books Kinokuniya Culture Convenience Club operates Tsutaya BookstoresLibro Yurindo Kyobo Book Centre Young Poong Books Valters un Rapa MPH Group operates MPH BookstoresmyNEWS.com Popular Times Bookstores Fondo de Cultura Económica Librerias Gandhi 28 bookstoresLibrería Porrúa Audax Groep Operates Amsterdamsche Kiosk Onderneming (AKO), Bruna, and Read ShopDe Slegte small independent chainPaper Plus Whitcoulls Ferozsons National Book Store Rex Book Store Empik Kolporter Livraria Bertrand Jarir Bookstore Page One Popular Times Bookstores Exclusive Books Orell Füssli Eslite Bookstore Asia Books Dokya Naiin Blackwell's owned by Waterstones since 2022Daunt Books founded by James Daunt in 1990Foyles owned by Waterstones since 2018The Works WHSmith Waterstones run by James Daunt since 2011Barnes & Noble Owned by James Daunt since 2019. Locations across all 50 US states (614 stores).Barnes & Noble Education former college division of B&N spun off in 2015 (760 stores).B. Dalton Former large chain acquired by B&N in 1987; location now in Florida (1 store).Bookmans Located in Arizona (5 stores).Books-A-Million Locations across 32 US states (260 stores). Also operates Bookland and 2nd & Charles.Busboys and Poets Located in the Washington metropolitan area (8 locations)Deseret Book Utah regional chain; also operates Seagull Book.Follett's Half Price Books Locations across 19 US states (116 stores).Hudson Group Located at airports and train stations in the United States and Canada (970 stores).Powell's Books Located in Oregon (4 stores).Sherman's Maine Coast Book Shops Located in Maine (9 stores)Schuler Books & Music Located in Michigan (4 stores).Tattered Cover Located in Colorado (6 stores); acquired by B&N in 2024.
Historical The following chains no longer operate any physical retail locations.
Name Country NotesAngus & Robertson Closed physical stores in 2011.Borders defunctThe Co-op Bookshop defunctJongno Seojeok bankrupt, and name changed to Bandi & Luni's when re-openedFascination Books applied for liquidation in 2008.Borders UK defunct in December 2009Dillons the Bookstore all stores were rebranded as Waterstones in 1999Ottakar's bought out by HMV, rebranded as Waterstones in 2006Amazon Books physical stores closed in 2022Borders defunct 2011. Trademark purchased by Barnes & Noble.Cokesbury physical stores closed in 2012; continued as online retailerBrentano's acquired by Waldenbooks and merged with Borders; defunct 2011Crown Books defunct 2001Encore Books defunct 1999Family Christian Stores physical stores closed in 2017; online retailer since 2019Hastings Entertainment defunct 2016Kroch's and Brentano's Chicago regional chain; defunct 1995LifeWay Christian Resources physical stores closed 2019; continued as online retailerMedia Play defunct 2006Waldenbooks acquired by Kmart and merged with Borders; defunct 2011
See also List of independent bookstores List of online booksellers
References