WORLDWIDE READING, COLLECTING, TRAVELING LISTING THE BEST OUTPUT FROM THE EDITORIAL SEARCH
Leporello, Rome. The process of perfecting bookselling
How can a small bookstore survive under the pressure of online retailers? Owners must develop strategies to slip from the grip of online retailers, offering that which cannot be bought online
Librairie Candide, Belgium. Books have stories which make people want to escape
Prior to taking over the bookstore, Eric Haegelsteen spent twenty-five years of his life in administering services as an auditor in Kongo, Cameroon, Ivory coast and Senegal
Bookstore in 798 Art Zone, Beijing. Conveying the memoir of its Jewish American heritage
Architect He Wei’s design philosophy is to not have one. «We do not want to use the architectural language and form that has been applied in prior works»
McNally Jackson Books, New York. Inside the Nolita indie scenario
Founded in New York in 2004 by Sarah McNally, a former editor at Basic Books and daughter of Holly and Paul McNally, the owners of the Canadian McNally Robinson Booksellers chain.
Ona, Barcelona. How a Barcelona bookstore is reviving a lost language through literature
A store that vies to preserve Catalan culture through literature, spearheaded by Taxto Benet: «Catalan needs people to read in Catalan, to write in Catalan, to purchase Catalan books»
YJY Maike Flagship Centre, China. How the layout of an ancient Chinese palace led to a cultural complex
A 4,500 square-meter complex for culture in the city that is the starting point of the Silk Road and the National World Heritage site of the Terracotta Army
Livraria Mandarina, São Paulo. Where mandarins are metaphors for growth and resistance
Former marketing and communication professionals, Daniela Amendola and Roberta Paixão, founded a two-story bookstore with twelve-thousand titles in 2019
Harbook Hangzhou, China. Lifestyle involvements in an expenditure of arches
Incorporating a showroom for Danish furniture brand Norman Copenhagen, the bookstore toys with intersection, complexity and contradiction
Altlife Bookstore, Ningbo. From a bicycle parking lot to the reprisal of culture
The structure of the mezzanine in metal imposes limits that exclude the possibility of loading it with the weight of the books – In conversation with architect, Pietro Peyron
Wuguan Books, Taiwan. The illusion of books that appear to be floating
Misfortune cookies and sex toys. Jettisoning the taboos that surround sexual desires Chu Chih Kang describes human nourishment in the darkness of a bookstore
The Moon, Singapore. Introspection led to feminism in Singapore based Pakistani, Sarah Naeem
«I wanted to create a space, no matter who you are, if you come from a community, when you enter, you will find your representation on the bookshelves»
Mzin, Leipzig. Interdisciplinarity and interaction, in a gallery-like magazine store
Turning a university project into a career, Philipp Neumann renews Leipzig’s history in publishing through a magazine store for culture
Cărturești Carusel, Bucharest. The time-lapse of a building that stood still
The building was built to last and when the dictatorship was toppled, it was returned to its owners, resembling our nation: damaged but standing – In conversation with Daniel Voinea
Happy Valley, Melbourne. A store whose entity is unclear until you step into it
The Brains behind Polyester Records and The Tramway Hotel, Chris Crouch has taken the theatrics of retail in Paris to the coast of Melbourne
Casa Bosques, Mexico City. What the digital era cannot offer, is to be found here
A bookstore that dates back to the beginning of the Twentieth century generating a style that belonged to the period of Mexican dictator, Porfirio Diaz
Cafebrería El Péndulo, San Ángel, Mexico City. A bookstore designed for human interaction
A ninety-year-old palm tree stands its ground as the focal point of the store at sixteen meters tall – a second home to those who indulge in a confetti of books
Dujiangyan Zhongshuge Bookstore, Sichuan. How a history of water conservation inspired a bookstore
«Dujiangyan is a city with a history of water conservancy development. We want to move the local landscape to the indoor space of Zhongshuge», Li Xiang, founder of X+Living
Le Notti Bianche, Italy. A bookstore grounded in Vigevano
«The idea is to encourage the participants to discover books that they would not choose», Ludovica Giuliani talks about her activity in a city that is reference for North Italy lands
OWSpace, China. A seaside bookstore of 590 square meters, a space designed for solitude
Boxes and corners provide a shelter for those who seek solitude and quiet with levels of interaction at OWSpace Bookstore, on the Golden Beach of Qinhuangdao
Waanders in de Broeren, Zwolle. Books and a deconsecrated church revised by BK Architecten
After a succession of fortune and ruin spanning six centuries, the new chapter in the life of Broerenkerk takes the shape of a bookstore: the Waanders family and the printing business
Librería Conarte, Mexico. A wooden dome for readers in the center of Monterrey
The council for culture and art is a space that wraps the reader in through a dome that plays with visual perspective
9 ¾ Bookstore, Colombia. European aura and Colombian coffee inside a children’s bookstore
Inspired by the Harry Potter book, bookstore and leisure space: educational activities to encourage children to read, in a Columbian setting inspired by Italy
Will books become the next extinct species in a hundred years?
The forest whose tree rings are chapters in a book. How understanding what is inherently human in the natural world can help save the environment
Import News, New York. Are we living in an era of content overload?
While print has long been deemed as ‘dead’, that does not apply to independent magazines. In conversation with Import News founders, Sasha Laing and Ken Miller
Choisi Bookshop, Lugano. A theatrical display of art publishing
«At a bookshop you can see the final product, not the research and experimentation behind it». In conversation with curator Giulia Brivio
Artwords Bookshop, London. A reflection of our ‘here and now’
The cleanliness of the backdrop allows the books to take center stage. One says ‘never judge a book by its cover’, but in Artwords that’s exactly what you do
Helsinki, Stockmann Centre. Northen Europe’s largest department store
It was 1852 when Heinrich Georg Franz Stockmann of Lübeck arrived in Finland to work as a bookkeeper and cashier at the Nuutajärvi Glassworks
Kinokuniya, San Francisco. A world of culture without boundaries
Books have the power of connecting countries and cultures – as demonstrated by the tie between United States and Japan created by Kinokuniya
MATTER, Denver. Self-sufficiency in the DNA
Rick Griffith and Debra Johnson follow the pulse of time while infusing it with history. «We are connected to our times and we know exactly what to do»
Fashion Books, Milan. Niche attitude reminiscent of the Eighties
Fashion books from the Fifties, avant-garde magazines and catalogues line the walls of Alessandro Andrei’s private studio
Pro qm, Berlin. Interdisciplinary debates in Berlin’s Mitte
The city and its relation to questions of design, politics, pop culture, economy, art, sound, and the field of theory. In conversation with founder Katja Reichard
Daikanyama T-Site, Tokyo. Disrupting the model of the traditional bookstore
The future of commerce is headed in two directions: niche and mass-market, whilst one bookstore transforms into a center of culture and commerce
Word On The Water, London. The halcyon haven for bibliophiles
Moored on Regent’s Canal, a century-old Dutch barge houses an island of quirkiness. In conversation with co-founder Paddy Screech
Yvon Lambert, Paris. On artistic recurrences
A return to Marais—but this time, as a bookseller and modern publisher—or Yvon Lambert Paris, the bookshop in the center of Paris.
Libreria Luxemburg, Turin. Northern Italy in Northern Europe
Echoes of Edinburgh and of activism, among museum books and archives. Culture is curated by selection, whereas success is guaranteed with curiosities
A social and cultural catalyst for the community
As a response to the disappearance of libraries and cultural facilities, Gogol & Company became a café, a co-working space, and an art gallery
A soft spot for local authors with a hint of oddity
«Last year, someone submitted a squirrel census, and we bought that». Thriving in the digital era, in the words of owner and founder Emma Straub
Books and Books, Coral Gables. The unspoken literary spot of the sunshine state
The first shop was started in a 1972’ building, following completely the Coral Gables architecture with a typical Mediterranean Revival style very dear to this southern Miami’s suburb
IGOR Libreria, Bologna. An LGBTQ+ sanctuary in the city of the niche
«In Italy, Bologna stands out for its civic sense. It’s the ideal city for a niche, LGBTQ+-themed bookstore like ours»
Head Hi, New York. Brooklyn’s spot for dialogue, community, and curiosity
Head Hi in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene is a state of mind, an exchange of opinions, a hearty cup of coffee, the spark of an idea, a call for justice
Gudberg Nerger, Hamburg. The future of digital is print
A design studio, concept store, art gallery and publishing house that believes in the art of synergy and in the irreplaceability of physical books
The Writer’s Block, Las Vegas. Are independent bookstores the future?
Any good bookseller knows their readers — and not by following algorithms or the latest trends. In the Amazon era, independent bookstores are still growing
Kubrick Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong. The development of the hub effect
The expansion of a record store into the world of publishing, all in the Yau Ma Tei and Kwun Tong neighborhoods in Hong Kong
Athenaeum Boekhandel, Amsterdam. The palace of printed paper
Glancing at the what seems to be an infinite abyss of books, one feels that Athenaeum Boekhandel holds every title ever published and can expand at will to host even more
Roppongi Tsutaya Books, Tokyo. Catering to the needs of an international community
Tsutaya was founded in 1983 in Osaka as a realization of the idea of a need to create a stronghold of culture for grown-ups
Worms Magazine, London. Reading and writing with Clem MacLeod
Books as protection against existential fears. «If you’re reading this, you are a Worm. We’re all Worms, and in the end, we’re going to be eaten by them»
Artazart, Paris. The design bookstore dedicated to the image
Open 363 days a year, Artazart doesn’t stop to take a breath. Often making it to top-bookstores-around-the-world listicles and guidebooks, the bookstore is currently celebrating its twenty years
FUEL, London. Changing the perception of traditional graphic design
After thirty years, the FUEL team remains to be a duo. They never employed assistants or interns, nor had ambitions to enlarge the design company
Papercut, Stockholm. Trust in local support is a prerequisite
Opening a retail store in an industry, in which online media and webstores are overtaking control seems precarious for many. Trust in local support is prerequisite
Paper Planes, Mumbai. A milestone in the history of indie magazines
In conversation with Paper Planes founder Nupur Joshi Thanks on her digital startup focused on the evolution of design and print in India
0fr, Paris. In conversation with Alexandre Thumerelle
In conversation with the cofounder 0FR, the bookshop in Paris’ Marais district selling over 200 different publications, original or not, old or new, founded in 1996
Beige Habilleur, Paris. A collaboration with KDPresse
In conversation with Eric Namont and Alexandre Baret, managers at KDPresse, on their unexpected alliance with Beige Habilleur
In conversation with Silvia Peron of Soul Studio
The online store Soul Studio selects curated products and publications and includes a collective collaboration among designers, artists, and brands to create limited edition prints and objects
The Boekhandel Dominicanen, Maastricht. A Third Place for many
Three things happen. You lower your voice. You look up and realize the enormity. You make the way to the altar – in a gothic church it is all about space and light
Magalleria, Bath. An informed vision of the print industry
The current pandemic is making it hard for magazines to go into print and distribution. Internet is guaranteeing information but digital cannot replace print for good
We Love Print, London. A magazine stall in London’s oldest market
In conversation with the founder James Laffar – ‘My grandfather used to know a few of our clients back when he had bookstalls in the Sixties’
Eslite, Hong Kong. Connecting the dots between three stores
In 2012 the first Eslite Bookstore outside Taiwan opened, located at Causeway Bay, aiming to build a peaceful dock in the busy area
Libreria Bookshop, London. A labyrinth of books
In 830 square meters space, with more than 6.000 titles, visitors have to find their way. The logic is antithetic to the algorithmic mechanism
The Open House, Bangkok. Sharing is caring
Wood carving patterns and mirrored panels on the ceiling – changing the movement of the light through the space. Architecture for intersections of light
Vald’O, San Quirico d’Orcia. A literary winery
Under the assumption that the printed paper has its own role in the publishing market, Antonio Cipriani and his wife Valentina Montisci founded a bookshop focused entirely on independent publishing houses
Reading Room, Milan. In conversation with Francesca Spiller
A selection that rewards the quality of the contents and the completeness of each editorial project rather than the originality at all costs
Ginza Tsutaya, Tokyo. The world’s best art bookstore
Ginza means «silver mint» in Japanese. From 1612 to 1800, today’s Ginza district in Tokyo was indeed the site of a silver coin mint, after which the area was eventually named
107Rivoli, Paris. Inside the Musée des Arts Décoratifs
The boutique takes the design outside the museum and its section to the consumer, becoming an intermediary between the story and our daily life
Newsstand Magazines, London. Filling the publishing industry’s gaps, online
Being a family business since 1898, and selling paper magazines for over 100 years, they went online in 1997
Via Garibaldi 12, Genoa. The spirit of the city in a 16th century building
Narrations, rather than objects – «It is as if we were collectors selling their collection, this is our Wunderkammer»
Do You Read Me?!, Berlin. A bookshop fittingly located between art galleries
A few square meters for about 2000 titles in the ‘locus amoenus’ of art. Do You Read Me?! Berlin is a gateway to publications that are hard to find
Le Comptoir de l’Image, Paris. Fashion photography, collector’s fever
«I look after my books, I keep some in custom sleeves and sometimes I restitch them all every night»
WHSmith, Paris. A tale of a street
WHSmith Paris on 248 Rue de Rivoli, near Place de la Concorde, is the longest branch to have remained in its original setting
Edicola Romana Non Ordinaria, Rome. New life for an old kiosk
The only way to revive printed matter is to combine it with something to do: to talk, drink, eat and share, as seen at Edicola Romana Non Ordinaria in Rome
