How humanistic spaces can survive: a study on balancing the social value and lightweight operation strategies of gender-themed independent bookstores
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: As online retail channels continue to squeeze the survival space of physical bookstores, small independent humanistic spaces have emerged as crucial offline spaces for intellectual exchange and social support. However, these spaces have a fundamental problem: their social mission and survival in the business world. This paper uses Daixuan bookstore in Shenzhen as a major case study, exploring the manner in which small independent bookstores are able to survive without sacrificing their cultural and social identity. The study, using field observations, semi-structured interviews, and comparisons with competitors, assesses focused lightweight operational plans of such spaces as such to keep on operating. Results indicate that small humanistic spaces can adopt commercial strategies without compromising their fundamental social values, demonstrating that lightweight operational strategies can be used to close the divide between social values and financial sustainability to guarantee long-term survival.
Language: English
Subfield: Strategy and Management
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7222579445