America's Bookstores

 

I happened across something the other day about the first use of the word bookstore. 

Intrigued, I decided to dig a little further into the word and the history of America's bookstores. 

The word bookstore is a relatively modern compound word, created from two simple English terms: book and store. The English word book traces back to Old English bōc, meaning a written text or volume, while store comes from Old French estorer, meaning “to supply” or “stock.” When combined, bookstore literally describes a place where books are stocked and sold.

The earliest recorded uses of bookstore appear in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries in both British and American English. Before then, books were primarily purchased from stationers or book sellers, terms still in use today. 

Unlike those earlier expressions, bookstore emphasizes the physical location, reflecting a shift in how books were marketed and accessed during a period when literacy rates were rising and printed works became more affordable.

In Britain, the word bookshop remained more common, while bookstore gained popularity in North America. By the nineteenth century, the bookstore was firmly established as not only a retail business but also a cultural hub, often tied to publishing houses, printers, or intellectual circles.

Tracing the first bookstore to open in America proves challenging, but the oldest, continuously running bookstore in the United States (and one of the oldest in the world) is in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Moravian Book Shop opened in 1745 and is still open today as part of the Moravian University. For nearly three centuries, booklovers from all over and come to the bookstore for a curated selection of books and gifts.

Among the other early American bookstores was one Benjamin Franklin opened in Philadelphia.

Early booksellers often wore many hats, offering services of printing and binding, as well as selling books. Their goods could include a variety of items beyond books. 

By the mid 1800s, bookstores in America had become community hubs, resembling modern shops where people could browse and discuss literature. Some stores became vital community spaces where readers, writers, and publishers gathered. There were those that even served as publishing houses. 

The arrival of the 20th century and major department stores like Marshall Field & Company in Chicago changed the landscape of traditional bookstores by becoming sellers of books. 

The 1980s and 1990s saw the rise of chain bookstores that shot up in nearly every shopping mall and outlet center. 

At its heart, though, the origin of the bookstore remains the same. A place, whether physical or virtual, where readers go to find stories, knowledge, and connection. A place where magic and adventures having between the words of a good book.

USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where hay fever and life lessons were always in season. Today, she blends her rural roots with a love for storytelling, crafting sweet, wholesome romances filled with hope, humor, quirky characters, and realistic heroes paired with strong, inspiring heroines. When she’s not writing or baking new recipes, you’ll find her cherishing quiet moments at home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband—affectionately known as Captain Cavedweller.

Find out more about Shanna on her website: shannahatfield.com