Pravin Nair
New Mags Copenhagen: a 100–square-metre flagship in the Ny Østergade district
Finding roots in Scandinavian design to the creation of a flagship store, New Mags Copenhagen: art books, independent magazines, and design-led editorial culture
Avril 50, Philadelphia. A time capsule of 1984 with magazines and journals
Established while he was completing his second master’s degree, Shahidi founded Avril 50 as a response to the lack of stores carrying magazine publications and academic journals that catered to...
Smoke Signals, San Francisco. Two thousand reading materials sold at a time
«In French, smoke signals means signaux de fumée – communicating through smoke signals – how I see newspapers and magazines as a tool to share and disseminate information today»
Soho News International, New York. Three-thousand magazines on Prince Street
Magazines span in volumes at Soho News International – showcasing a diverse set of titles in genres. Esoteric and well-known, catering to the wider sense of audience in the New...
Boekie Woekie, Amsterdam. Three owners and 7,000 art books from independent creators
Since 1986 Jan Voss, Henriëtte van Egten and Rúna Thorkelsdóttir have persevered in maintaining the child-like essence of the bookstore while seeing through the intertwining of art related literature
Bleu&Book, Taipei. From a life in a television network to owning bookstores across Taiwan
«There are over two hundred independent-bookstores in Taiwan. To stand out, bookstores craft a thematic identity, serving a certain subject matter in a multitude of genres»
Vroman’s Bookstore and Book Soup intertwining to serve the California community
Two stories coming together: Vroman's Bookstore and Book Soup are held under the same management, with the common mission of being a ‘hodgepodge for diversity’
Shreeji Newsagents, London. The Marylebone Staple
«Shreeji is part of the social-fiber of the community. During the pandemic it has shown how stores in the locale acts as a sanctuary and how they were supported by...
Radius Books, Santa Fe. 160 published titles and Donation Programs in New Mexico
«Since the formation, we have donated a total of seventy-five thousand volumes of art-related books published under Radius Books to schools and libraries across fifty states»
T0K10 Rotterdam: A Japanese-Inspired Concept Store Bringing Tokyo’s Wabi-Sabi Aesthetic to Europe
Owner and founder Joep Jongen drew influence from the now shuttered down concept store Colette, in Paris. It assisted in shaping the ethos of the store – accessible fashion for...
Browser Books, San Francisco. The need to browse while seeking books
At Browser Books San Francisco «copies and titles sat on the shelves for up to fifteen to twenty years, some even being out of print. Browsing, readers were able to...
OMMU, Athens: A Nomadic Bookstore Bridging Art and Publishing
«There was a scarcity in creative material available in Greece. Our involvement in the scene here urged us to showcase work made in the locale to the individuals living here...
Issues, Toronto: a space for peers and like-minded folk in the arts
The Toronto editorial industry is introduced to Issues - Nicola Hamiltons bridge between what is wanted from a commercial standpoint, and what is desired when in the process of creating
Shakespeare and Sons, Berlin. A bookstore burrowed in a post-war building
Named in homage of the Parisian tourist site, Shakespeare and Sons is a reverence to literary goods and a congregation for social exchanges
International Magazine Store (IMS), a disseminator of recondite magazines in Antwerp
«My father was heavily involved in the meat and livestock industry» – Mr. Willem pivoting into cultivating creativity through the business of disseminating international magazine titles: IMS Antwerp was born
Cohen + Dobernigg Buchhandel, Hamburg: Green Practices Through Bookselling
Alongside their team of staff members, Cohen and Dobernigg have sculpted their bookstore to be a supplier and motivator to the dissemination of literary goods in the area, and in...
MENDO, Amsterdam: From a 2002 Hotel Niche to a 20-Year Literary Landmark
Located within CoffeeConcepts, MENDO offers an intimate space—its mini MENDO—to discover visually striking books covering art, photography, fashion, and beyond
Tipi Bookshop: a metaphor brought to life in Brussels
'Tipi' from the word ‘Teepee’, a conical-shaped tent used as shelter by Native American individuals. Owner Andrea Copetti explains, "I adopted the name as it fit with what I intended...
Works that center on stories of minorities – by minorities. Dorbeetle Store, Hangzhou
«The edge that we have at Dorbeetle is that we insist on our need to be pioneers for the voices from the West to local readers»
Par Store, Taiwan. Underground Concept Store Scene in Taiwan
Located in Chifeng Street of the Zhongshan District, alongside a variety of other creative outlets and collectives, Par Store is known for their laid-back sense of style and business etiquette.
Dekker v.d. Vegt Boekverkopers. Despite hurdles of 167 years, the business keeps going
A collective effort from the city of Nijmegen generated €150,000 in just six days in 2014, bringing back to life Dekker, an independent bookseller with one hundred and sixty-seven years...
Located on Stockholm’s Götgatan Street, Press Stop showcases niche publications
Looking to expand its collection of reads, Press Stop is continuing its efforts in remaining to be the last of its kind in serving recondite literary goods
Village – the bookstore was founded to present art into the Leeds suburbs
Village – a bookstore gallery showcasing art from creators far, wide, and those surrounding them – sustained by the addition of a bookstore
Escondido Oaxaca presents itself with a brutalist-style in Mexico
When translated into English, the Spanish word, Escondido, means hidden – like its name, the properties in Oaxaca are regarded by its founders as a hidden gem
Brick and mortar comes secondary, print comes first: Paper Pages, Sofia
Georgi Michokov explains Paper Pages as being an online entity born from the adoration for printed materials, providing niche publications to Bulgaria
De Reyghere Boekhandel, Brugge: literature that has survived world wars
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
World of Magazines, Tel Aviv: four locations catered to what is printed, not digital
«The disparity in education is a global issue. While some might say, ‘it’s just magazines’, I differ. Magazines are just one of many outlets to learn» – Joey Ezekiel on...
Septieme Gallery, Paris: Julie Banâtre and Léa Perier Loko, the second location in Benin
Situated in the Rue de l’Université of the 7th Arrondissement area, the building was built in the Haussmannien style – the gallery is an amalgamation of tradition and modernity
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam: an aristocratic start to modern art in Museumplein
The history begins in September 1895, when the local government bodies and private buyers coalesced their know-how and interest in the arts and founded the museum
Costello and Friends, London: Nicole Costello on overconsumption and capitalism
Citing capitalism as an inevitable force in this lifetime, the thesis of the store exists as a space to highlight creatives and their work while also compensating them for it
Henrik Vibskov, Copenhagen: from Japanese to underground European designers
Designs from Vibskov himself and other varying works like Lampoon, Fantastic Man and Purple Magazine co-exist alongside perfumes, clothes, and accessories
Frankfurter Hauptschule, Frankfurt. Hypocrisy and crassness in the name of art
The assistance of the internet and the abundant possibilities creators are given: it’s about staying hidden behind engineered personalities while creating art for the audiences
Public Possession, Munich: about drawing a living from a record store
Having over a period of years, the duo agreed upon starting a venture together. DJ-ing was a passion, but it could not sustain their finances
The Booksmith, Thailand. A distributor for hard-to-seek titles in the Greater-Thailand region
«I was not acquainted with other professions. My fondness was for books, and a means for survival churned the birth of The Booksmith». Sirote Jiraprayoon on his journey to climb...
Big Little News, Seattle. Once an elevator shaft, now a newsstand of magazines in esotericism
Molding a breath of air into the space, the newsstand was arranged in a manner to allow for the magazines and periodical reads sold to be presented similar to art...
Funk Magazine, Köln: «We had planned for it to be a pop up in the initial plan»
Funk states that magazines published through independent means have a sustainable value to it – becoming pieces that can be archived by its owners
Luertís, Brescia. A wild asparagus sprouts, flaunting art and community
Upon going through a period of discussion with her peers, Riva settled on Luertís - a name that best described the adoration for her environs and a depiction of the...
Rococo News & Magazine, London. A cultivation of Notting Hill
Prompted by his peers during a game of cricket, Patel formulated the proposition to acquire the magazine and newspaper store that had been around for sixty years
The travel industry is one that retains an ever-lasting carbon footprint: practices are green mode
Having begun its relevance in history as a frontier in the spice trade between Europe and Southeast Asia, Portugal has now interpreted itself as a supplier of homelier consorts
Bonjour Jacob, Paris. Using ethical supply chains when disseminating books
An immersion in the ethos of Bonjour Jacob, among items, reading materials, vinyl records, and a coffee experience – fostering craftsmanship and quality
Janasch’s, Magdeburg. Solidarity with businesses in the locale
Diverting from the constructs of a structured work format in offices that focused on monetary goals, Janasch’s identity contrasts that of a professional job setting
Odd Kiosk, Barcelona. An exploration of queer based literature
Odd Kiosk was a response to the climate of these spaces, giving the youth, in importance, a space to explore their sense of self without harming one’s mental health
Error404, Melbourne. A commune for creativity and sustainable efforts
Acting as a hub and safe space for designers and creatives, Error404 is a celebration of the counterculture in Melbourne. In conversation with founder Kacey Heywood
Ler Devagar, Lisbon. Making use of what’s around, a multipurpose bookstore
Founded in the year of 1999, Ler Devagar was an concept prompted by Pinho towards his peers. An intent in founding a space that functioned in multifarious modes
Mano Plus, Penang. Repurposing localities to match its identity
Remaining independent is at the fundamentals of Mano Plus. Social media presence is how it grasps audiences to its environs. The products displayed are produced in Malaysia
L’Ascenseur Végétal, Bordeaux. A bookstore and curated photo gallery
One of the spots in Bordeaux where visitors are able to absorb photographical material. Thirty-five by thirty meters of the space is used for the purpose of the exhibitions
