Why We Still Need Bookstores

In a world of online everything, it’s tempting to think that bookstores belong to the past. But walk through the doors of a good bookstore, and you’ll feel it instantly — the quiet hum of possibility, the comfort of printed pages, and the kind of presence that can’t be digitised.

Bookstores aren’t just about books. They’re about place. About pausing. About stumbling across something you didn’t know you needed. They’re one of the few spaces left where curiosity doesn’t come with a notification.

And while convenience drives so much of modern life, many readers are turning back to spaces that feel human — where time slows down, conversation happens, and choices are made with your hands, not just your thumbs.

These spaces matter.

That’s why The Book Bucket starts with the in-store experience. Our shelves are filled with a living mix of secondhand books — from as-new recent releases to well-loved intergenerational favourites — all traded by real people, in real places, over time. Our stores are built to bring readers together: to browse, to trade, to talk, and to reconnect with the slow joy of print.

The online store is coming later in 2025— but it’s never the whole story.
For us, bookstores are still essential. And for many readers, they always will be.