'Bookless bookstore': audio-only book shop opens in New York

NEW YORK: Audiobook giant Audible opened what it billed as the first “bookless bookstore” in New York on Friday as industry statistics show more American consumers embracing the format.

There is no rustle of pages or stacks of best-selling novels at the pop-up store opened by the Amazon subsidiary on the Lower East Side in Manhattan.

“This is a physical place entirely dedicated to bringing audio storytelling to life,” Audible CEO Bob Carrigan said during a press tour of the “Audible Story House” on Thursday.

It was a slightly “wild idea” which “took quite a bit of imagination,” Carrigan said, adding that the month-long pop-up aims to “bring audiobooks to life in this environment where you can browse, you can connect with people.”

According to the Audio Publishers Association (APA), audiobook sales reached $2.22 billion in the United States in 2024, nearly doubling over the past five years.

In the store, audiobook tablets called “story tiles” line the shelves, ready to be inserted into a player for listening through headphones.

Each tile plays a short excerpt and the full title can be accessed on the Audible app.

The platform, which dominates the audiobook market, offers paid subscriptions, individual purchases and free access to some titles for Amazon account holders.

The venue also has a room lined with speakers for headphone-free listening, as well as a “Listening Bar” where “Story Tenders” will “guide attendees in finding the perfect audiobook for their tastes and interest,” according to the press release.

The space aims to reflect the fast-growing popularity of the format as well as the “shift toward offline experiences and real-world connection.”

“Audible Story House taps into the nostalgia and community feel of book culture while bringing it fully into the present,” the company said.