Despite the rise of digital books, independent bookstores in York are booming.

The city centre has a significant focus on independent traders, and the bookshops are no different.

Independent sellers have shown consistent upwards growth in North Yorkshire, with Sumup reporting a 100% increase between 2020 – 2024.

Last year, Criminally Good Books, a specialist crime bookstore, opened on Colliergate, and has been named ‘a must visit for any crime fiction fan’ as well as ‘a gem’ by reviewers.

While this autumn, Topping and Company will open their newest shop on the corner of Museum Street and Blake Street.

The company, which has other stores in Bath, Edinburgh, Ely and St Andrews, will open a 6000ft shop featuring over 75,000 books.

Speaking about the opening, a company spokesperson said it will be “the largest independent bookshop in the country and will be home to a year-round programme of author events.”

However, the opening has not come without some worry from others.

Talking to the BBC, Richard Staples of The Blue House Bookshop said: “They claim to be independent but they’re not really, they’re a chain” and spoke of his worries about the discounts they will get from wholesalers and how this may affect business.

Troubador Publishing reports of trade discounts which start at 35%, however bigger booktores and reatilers will have discounts of between 45% and 60%, with shipping at the cost of publisher, allowing for higher profits.

However, a spokesperson for Topping and Company told the BBC: “There is a clear distinction between Topping and Company and a chain retailer, we have no external shareholders, we are a family company.”