In results filed yesterday, U.K.-based bookstore chain Waterstones reported that for the year ending in April 2024, sales hit £528.4 million, up 17% from £452.5 million for the year ended April 2023. After tax profit jumped from £12.0 million to £32.8 million over the same period.

In its announcement, Waterstones—which, like Barnes & Noble, is led by James Daunt—credited a return to offices by employees as well as an increase in tourism with boosting customer traffic, and sales, in London and other city centers. “We are pleased to report these positive results for the financial year, reflecting a strong performance across all parts of the business,” the statement read. “Sales growth was consistent both in shops and online.”

The announcement also said that Waterstones “benefited from the breadth of bestselling books across fiction genres and non-fiction subjects, led by the surprise bestseller Murdle. The business continues to invest in our people, our shops and our infrastructure. Eight new bookshops were opened in the financial year, and four were closed, ending with 317 bookshops. Waterstones has continued to enjoy good sales in the current financial year and starts 2025 benefiting from a notably strong publishing line-up.”

The results represent something of a return to form for Waterstones. The 2023 figures were hit by problems with the Blue Yonder ordering system initially rolled out in August 2022; problems with its introduction took months to iron out. The Blackwell’s acquisition also fell in this period: the overall effect of the two events was that while sales rose 13% in 2023 over 2022, profits plunged 71%.

A version of this story originally ran in the U.K. trade publication, BookBrunch.