Featured, the AI co-pilot for PR, has launched Find Bookstores, a searchable database of 1,093 independent U.S. bookstores designed for authors and book publicists planning signings and book tours. The tool, available on every Featured plan including the free tier, lets users name a location or genre in Featured's chat and receive a list of stores that host author events, complete with links to each store's website or events page and, where published, an email address.
The launch matters because it addresses a persistent pain point for authors, particularly debut ones, who often lack the knowledge or connections to book their own tours. Brett Farmiloe, founder and CEO of Featured, recalled pitching Changing Hands in Tempe for a talk and signing when his book came out, noting that as a first-time author he had no idea how to promote his book. Find Bookstores simplifies that path by connecting authors directly with stores that host events and can move product.
The timing aligns with a resurgence in independent bookselling. The American Booksellers Association's 2025 annual report counted 605 new bookstore businesses opened in 2025, including 399 storefronts, against 65 closures, with openings up 87% from 2024. ABA membership reached 3,417 members operating 3,783 locations, nearly double the 1,775 members the association counted in 2016 and, according to the Associated Press, the highest since the late 1990s. For an author, each of those stores represents a room and a crowd that chose to come.
Find Bookstores is built for practical use. Of the 1,093 stores in the database, 59.9% link to a public events or calendar page and 37.6% publish an email address for the store. The stores span all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 796 cities, and 36.6% describe author events, readings or signings in their own words. Users can type a request such as Bookstores in Texas that host author signings or Mystery bookstores in California and receive matching stores with name, location, a short description of programming, a website or events link, and an email address when available. They can then ask Featured to draft the pitch in the same chat.
The tool fits into Featured's broader suite for book publicists, who can plan the rest of a tour in the same place. Featured answers requests for bookstores and speaking opportunities in the same chat, while Find Podcasts covers the interviews around each stop. Find Bookstores runs inside the same Featured chat users already use to find Substack publications and TV stations, and it is live now at featured.com.
