In Small Towns, Bookstores Are Thriving

“I love to spend my day in a bookstore,” said Amy Sweet. She lives in Red Lodge, Montana, and was explaining why she and her husband Brian opened Beartooth Books in her town of 2,300.

“It was part of the life we wanted—to live in a small town, walk to work, and enjoy outdoor adventures and wonderful people.“

She’s not alone. For many of the same reasons, bookstores have been opening in small Western towns, said Heather Duncan, executive director of the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association.

Since 2020, more than 100 bookstores have opened in her region, which extends across 14...