Hobby stores in the U.S. - statistics & facts
Hobbies are an essential part of a work-life balance, and so in order to blow off some steam and relax, many people partake in leisure activities or pursue their interests outside of school or working hours. In other words, many individuals around the world have hobbies, which can range from coin collecting and pottery, to writing music, reading graphic novels, and camping. Common hobbies and interests in the United States include travel, cooking and/or baking, and video games.
As with most retail markets, the online sector is likely to continue to grow in the coming years. However, whether people will spend as much money as they once did on their hobbies remains to be seen.
Hobby stores in the U.S.
For many leisure activities, hobbyists need a place they can visit, i.e., a hobby store, which would allow them to browse and purchase necessary goods or equipment for said activities. In the past decade, the number of sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, and book establishments in the United States was decreasing up until 2021, 2022 was the first year in several years to see an increase. In a similar fashion, the number of hobby-focused enterprises has also seen a decline over the years with a small uptake in 2022. On the flipside, however, annual sporting goods, hobby, music instrument, and bookstore sales in the United States have grown a fair amount since 1992, reaching nearly 123 billion U.S. dollars in sales in 2023. It is possible that these increases are a result of economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, and only time will tell if the market will continue to grow or if it will revert to decreasing.Retailers and brands
In terms of retail sales, some of the United States’ largest leisure retailers included household names, such as Bass Pro, GameStop, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Hobby Lobby Stores. Dick’s Sporting Goods had some of the highest U.S. sales. Michaels Stores, on the other hand, had the highest number of outlets in the country. Given the growth of e-commerce marketplaces many consumers in the United States have also begun to visit and purchase from online retailers. In total, it was estimated that toy, hobby and DIY sales made up around 12 percent of total e-commerce sales in the United States. This meant that individuals were spending on average around 376 U.S. dollars in 2024 when purchasing items for their hobbies or DIY projects online.As with most retail markets, the online sector is likely to continue to grow in the coming years. However, whether people will spend as much money as they once did on their hobbies remains to be seen.
