How it works

The list sorts itself

Every store on the home page is a button. When you click one, it takes you to that store's own website, and we count the click. The shops readers click most move toward the top. Order is based on how often readers click a shop, and joining the passport lists a store but does not buy it a higher spot.

The ranking looks at the last 30 days and refreshes daily. Until a shop has clicks, it appears in a different random order each time the page loads, so no one is stuck at the bottom.

The bookmark hunt

1. Pick up a bookmark
   Every participating store has bookmarks.
2. Get a stamp
   Make a purchase, then ask for the store's round stamp with its logo. One stamp per store.
3. Collect ten
   Stamps from ten different participating stores in the same passport edition earn a free passport, a coupon book valued at over $100. There is no required order.
4. Mail in the bookmark
   We send you a free passport.

The passport

A pocket-sized booklet with a page for each participating store: address, its own offer and a place for its stamp. The offers are printed only in the passport, so you have to buy one to see them, and each can be used once. The 2027 edition is good for one year and costs $15, or free when you finish the bookmark hunt. More about the passport

Questions

What counts as a click?

One visit to a store's website from this list. We do not record who you are.

Do you use cookies or track me?

Our own counts of page visits and clicks use no cookies. If you say yes when asked, Google Analytics also measures how the site is used, with cookies only if you agree. We do not sell or share personal information.

Do I need the passport to start the bookmark hunt?

No. Pick up a bookmark at any participating store and start collecting stamps. Remember, a purchase earns each stamp.

When can I buy the passport?

It launches on Independent Bookstore Day, late April 2027. Get notified and we will email you that day.

A store's details look wrong.

Tell us and we will fix it.