De Reyghere Boekhandel acts as an institution of change for the inhabitants of Brugge, supplying domestic and foreign literary goods – in conversation with fifth generation Thomas Barbier
The history of a family: De Reyghere Boekhandel
The history of De Reyghere Boekhandel’s founders and the thesis behind the intent of the bookstore perseveres through Thomas Barbier, a fifth-generation bookseller from the De Reyghere family. Founded by Edmond De Reyghere and his wife Julia Laridon in 1888, De Reyghere Boekhandel was erected at Geldmunstraat between the thirteenth and fifteenth shopping lots of the area as a bookstore and printing press.
The bookstore carried newspapers, books, and magazines that were sourced from various locations. Alongside these items, De Reyghere also crafted tourist guides and city maps under its name brand. In doing so, De Reyghere set itself apart from its contemporaries through its offerings. Through the years of business, while the bookstore stayed in the hands of the family members, ownership changed time and time again.
The broadening of the business led to a shift in location, where the owners relocated the bookstore into a larger space to accommodate customers and their ever-growing library of reading materials. Persisting through two World Wars and having the business divaricate when taken over by De Reyghere’s two sons, De Reyghere now stands in the building that once belonged to Laurence in Markt 12 – a location that was once occupied by German soldiers during the World War.
Thomas Barbier – taking over from his mother
Along with explaining the history of the bookstore and its significance in the locale, Thomas Barbier reminisces about his youth and the ventures he explored before pivoting back into taking over the reins of the bookstore. «My life has always revolved around the Boekhandel. As a kid, I grew up above it and walked about the store before heading to school. After my hours at school, I helped out where I could. But I did not willingly accept my role as the Boekhandel’s next caretaker immediately».
Managing the store at this time alongside his mother who has managed the bookstore for a period of forty years, Barbier explains that the bookstore is a symbol of structure for many. «The individuals working here are some of the closest people in my life. I regard them as family and the bookstore is not only a foundational structure for the city but also for the people who manage it day in and day out».
Thomas Barbier: Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium
«My mother grew up in Germany and at the time, the seriousness towards bookselling was ever more so present there as opposed to Belgium. Unlike myself, she obtained a degree in bookselling». Barbier took a varied route in hopes to discover the varieties of the world before finalizing his decision to take over the business. Upon graduating from high school, Barbier ventured to The Netherlands where he pursued a finishing program that taught him the technicalities of bookselling.
Upon completing the program, a year later, Barbier found himself in Utrecht, interning for a bookstore in the hopes of gaining a perspective and understanding the bookselling trade in depth. «It was eye-opening to be in a different city and in a different environment where I could absorb these perspectives and focus on learning the trade». Barbier’s need to seek out new learning experiences led him to take part in an educational course to translate English and Spanish works. «On top of this, I did a management degree and additionally spent a year of my time studying architecture». While on his journey of seeking out which profession works best, Barbier came to the realization that managing and bookselling at De Reyghere was the path that he was intended to be on.
The identity of Boekhandel and womanhood
While Boekhandel is a namesake to the founding owner Edmond, Barbier notes the efforts of the women who held the business together over its century-long existence. Two years into founding and managing the bookstore, De Reyghere’s wife, Laridon took over. Prior to becoming the co-owner of the store, Barbier’s mother, Yvonne Steinberger inherited the bookstore from her aunt, Lucienne.
Barbier shares how he finds the women in his life to have been role models for having taken on the role of an owner of the bookstore at a time when it was not the norm to do so. It was through these women, the sons of De Reyghere and Laridon, that the curation of the bookstore was realized. Whilst De Reyghere Boekhandel sets itself apart as a purveyor of literary goods, the bookstore became known for being a niche business that carried books and other literary goods in a variety of languages and subject matters.
Think globally and act locally
«We’ve always had the mindset to think globally and act locally. This is reflected in the books and other reading materials that were carried out by Maurice and Lucien. Lucien was an Anglophone that preferred books from English-speaking authors while his brother Maurice kept on the legacy of the store at the time – purveying French, Dutch, and literary works from the surroundings».
De Reyghere Boekhandel has maintained its persistence in being an all-encompassing bookstore. Barbier remarks that Dutch is more prominent in the country as opposed to when the bookstore was first founded in 1888. As such, Dutch literature is given significant priority in the store. The co-owner adds, «whatever Dutch books we carry, in terms of genre and subject matter, we try to have similar books in other languages as well. It is our goal to become accessible to our customers».
Maintaining relevance in tourist town, Brugge
When prompted on the periphery of the store and how the business has survived over a century, Barbier shares the reason – the focus of the store being catered towards the inhabitants of the city. The co-owner describes Brugge as a tourist town, and De Reyghere as being one of the few remaining family-owned businesses to have survived the war and the ever-changing climate of the city.
«We are not susceptible to trends of any kind. Our focus is towards the people who live and work in the city as opposed to holidaymakers who are passing through town. If the focus had been the other way around, we would not have survived». Seeing the bookstore as a conduit to encouraging a symbiotic relationship with its customers – the people of Brugge – Barbier and his mother remain practicing De Reyghere’s age-long fundamental belief, to give back. Through this initiative, De Reyghere has invited the likes of authors, speakers, poets, and other literary members of society to give talks, readings and take part in meet and greets with those in the locale.
«We’re always persevering to become a stronghold in the city and our intent is to give back and become a space for the youth. The city’s demographic is skewed towards older individuals, and I would like to see through to supplying materials to the youth who are ardently reading literary works already».
The future of the Boekhandel
While focusing on the bookstore’s current offerings, Barbier explains that De Reyghere Boekhandel will undergo a period of renovations to expand its current space. Operating within five hundred square meters of space, the co-owner is looking to create more room for the books to be displayed, sold and have a congregating space where like minded folks can come in and enjoy the bookstore.
The intent behind expanding also lies in the need to host more readings and book launches in Brugge. Inviting more writers and literary aficionados remains a priority for the bookstore and its co-owners.
De Reyghere Boekhandel
Markt 12, 8000 Brugge, Belgium. Founded in 1888, De Reyghere Boekhandel has become a synonymous, household name disseminating reading materials and a gathering space for like-minded folk who indulge in the world of reading.
