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 is available on every Featured plan, including the free tier, and operates within the platform's existing chat interface.
Users can request bookstores by location or genre—for example, Bookstores in Texas that host author signings or Mystery bookstores in California—and receive matching stores with each result showing the store's name, location, a short description of its programming, a link to its website or events page, and an email address when the store publishes one. Users can then ask Featured to draft a pitch in the same chat, and the platform also answers requests for speaking opportunities and podcast interviews through its Find Podcasts feature.
The launch comes as independent bookstores are expanding. 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 authors, each of those stores represents a potential venue and audience. Featured founder and CEO Brett Farmiloe said the inspiration came from his own experience as a first-time author. "When my book came out, I pitched Changing Hands in Tempe for a talk and signing," Farmiloe said. "What made it tough is that as a first-time author, I had no idea what I was doing when it came down to promoting my book. Featured simplifies that path, and connects authors with the stores that host events and can move product."
Of the 1,093 stores in Featured's 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.
The tool matters because it reduces the research burden on authors and publicists who otherwise must manually identify stores that host events and compile contact information. By integrating bookstore discovery with pitch drafting and podcast booking in one chat, Featured aims to streamline the entire book promotion workflow. The platform is live now at Featured, free to start with no credit card required.
