Best Retail Books (50 books)

a curated list of must-reads on stores and in-person retail—founder stories, insider insights, investigative deep dives, and the psychology of shopping. follow along & let me know what i should add!

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1	The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything by Stephen M.R. Covey 3.97 avg rating — 26,283 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon by Brad Stone (Goodreads Author) 4.14 avg rating — 77,674 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing by Emily Lynn Paulson (Goodreads Author) 3.59 avg rating — 14,013 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul by Howard Schultz 3.86 avg rating — 30,577 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time by Howard Schultz 4.02 avg rating — 12,411 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	The Messy Truth: How I Sold My Business for Millions but Almost Lost Myself by Alli Webb 3.23 avg rating — 540 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman by Yvon Chouinard 4.18 avg rating — 28,897 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Born to Shine: Do Good, Find Your Joy, and Build a Life You Love by Kendra Scott (Goodreads Author) 4.20 avg rating — 1,464 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	#Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso (Goodreads Author) 3.64 avg rating — 76,500 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business by Danny Meyer 4.04 avg rating — 9,438 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight 4.46 avg rating — 371,984 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	Sam Walton, Made in America: My Story by Sam Walton 4.16 avg rating — 27,980 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall by Alexandra Lange 3.60 avg rating — 1,702 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Selling Sexy: Victoria’s Secret and the Unraveling of an American Icon by Lauren Sherman 3.71 avg rating — 1,223 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	The Kingdom of Prep: The Inside Story of the Rise and (Near) Fall of J.Crew by Maggie Bullock 3.99 avg rating — 4,185 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion by Julie Satow (Goodreads Author) 3.89 avg rating — 5,827 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara 4.42 avg rating — 36,432 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker 3.95 avg rating — 28,415 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact by Chip Heath 4.11 avg rating — 25,392 ratings score: 82, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Falling Into the Gap by Donald Fisher it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating score: 81, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	The Nordstrom Way to Customer Experience Excellence: Creating a Values-Driven Service Culture by Robert Spector 3.91 avg rating — 792 ratings score: 80, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	The Apple Experience: Secrets to Building Insanely Great Customer Loyalty by Carmine Gallo 4.07 avg rating — 469 ratings score: 79, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell (Goodreads Author) 3.80 avg rating — 119,110 ratings score: 78, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	The New Rules of Retail: Competing in the World's Toughest Marketplace by Robin Lewis (Goodreads Author) 3.81 avg rating — 313 ratings score: 77, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Remarkable Retail: How to Win and Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption by Steve Dennis really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 49 ratings score: 76, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	Stores Don't Suck: The 5 Principles of Amazing Retail Execution by Melissa Wong (Goodreads Author) 4.25 avg rating — 8 ratings score: 75, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket by Benjamin Lorr (Goodreads Author) 3.94 avg rating — 15,264 ratings score: 74, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	Empresses of Seventh Avenue: World War II, New York City, and the Birth of American Fashion by Nancy MacDonell 3.91 avg rating — 751 ratings score: 73, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	Retail Therapy: Why the Retail Industry is Broken – and What Can Be Done to Fix It by Mark Pilkington 3.70 avg rating — 67 ratings score: 72, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Retail's Seismic Shift: How to Shift Faster, Respond Better, and Win Customer Loyalty by Michael Dart (Goodreads Author) 3.98 avg rating — 66 ratings score: 71, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	Excellence Wins: A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise by Horst Schulze 4.43 avg rating — 1,784 ratings score: 70, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	Be Our Guest: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service by Walt Disney Company 3.90 avg rating — 5,139 ratings score: 69, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping by Paco Underhill 3.88 avg rating — 13,495 ratings score: 68, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Retail Superstars: Inside the 25 Best Independent Stores in America by George Whalin 3.92 avg rating — 37 ratings score: 67, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	Tiffany & Co.: The Story Behind the Style by Rachael Taylor (Goodreads Author) 4.05 avg rating — 22 ratings score: 66, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Vivienne Westwood by Jessica Bumpus 4.08 avg rating — 26 ratings score: 65, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	Cartier: The Story Behind the Style by Rachael Taylor (Goodreads Author) 3.76 avg rating — 17 ratings score: 64, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	Rolex by Rachael Taylor (Goodreads Author) 3.88 avg rating — 8 ratings score: 63, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	Why I Hate Everything: Reflections on a Decade in Retail by Margaret Weber 4.05 avg rating — 111 ratings score: 62, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	The Cartiers: The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewelry Empire by Francesca Cartier Brickell (Goodreads Author) 4.25 avg rating — 2,552 ratings score: 61, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	Shopping, Seduction & Mr. Selfridge by Lindy Woodhead 3.71 avg rating — 1,919 ratings score: 60, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	The Glitter Plan: How We Started Juicy Couture for $200 and Turned It into a Global Brand by Pamela Skaist-Levy 3.68 avg rating — 673 ratings score: 59, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	This Is Not a T-Shirt: A Brand, a Culture, a Community--a Life in Streetwear by Bobby Hundreds (Goodreads Author) 4.21 avg rating — 1,285 ratings score: 58, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	Shopkeeping: Stories, Advice, and Observations by Peter Miller 4.17 avg rating — 351 ratings score: 57, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	Becoming Elizabeth Arden: The Woman Behind the Global Beauty Empire by Stacy A. Cordery (Goodreads Author) 3.80 avg rating — 117 ratings score: 56, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	The Woman I Wanted to Be by Diane Von Furstenberg 3.70 avg rating — 4,851 ratings score: 55, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	Visual Merchandising: Windows and In-Store Displays for Retail by Tony Morgan really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 128 ratings score: 54, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	The Ultimate Boutique Handbook: How to Start a Retail Business by Emily A. Benson 4.35 avg rating — 66 ratings score: 53, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	Built from Scratch: How a Couple of Regular Guys Grew The Home Depot from Nothing to $30 Billion by Bernie Marcus 3.99 avg rating — 1,162 ratings score: 52, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	Glossy: Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss's Glossier by Marisa Meltzer 3.29 avg rating — 11,896 ratings score: 51, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars