In an increasing digital age, it appears that physical
bookstores have become more than just places to buy books. They offer something
that online shopping and e-books can’t quite replicate — the experience of discovery.
Jen Campbell, author of The Bookstore Book said, “You see, bookshops are dreams
built of wood and paper. They are time
travel and escape and knowledge and power. They are, simply put, the best
of places.”
Bookstores offer settings people go to imagine, linger,
explore and connect. There’s something serendipitous about wandering through
rows of shelves a computer screen can’t reproduce, the smell of paper, the book
in your hands and myriads of colorful covers. For many, bookstores evoke
childhood memories of visiting with family or friends, choosing a favorite book
or spending hours probing the shelves.
Here are some quirky, whimsical bookstores around
the globe that are must-visit destinations for any bibliophile looking for
something extra.
Livrario Lello (Porto, Portugal)
The historic bookstore is absolutely spectacular and one of
Porto’s most famous landmarks. The venue is so popular that reservations are
highly suggested. Livrario Lello opened in 1906 and is housed in an ornate
building whose design blends Neo-Gothic elements with Art Nouveau. Though the
exterior façade is impressive, the showstopper happens when you step inside.
It’s hard to describe the awe of a sweeping crimson-colored staircase, beautifully
carved woodwork, elaborate bookshelves and its incredibly huge stained-glass
ceiling.
One of the most popular and misunderstood parts of the Lello
story is that it was associated with Harry Potter books. Though it may look as
though it could have inspired Hogwarts or a wizarding bookshop given that J.K.
Rowling lived in Porto in the early 1990s, the author confirms that the claim
is a piece of lore. This however hasn’t stopped Harry Potter fans from making
the bookstore a pilgrimage stop.
Shakespeare and Company, Paris, France (Photo Credit: Noreen Kompanik)
Shakespeare and Company (Paris, France)
The literary legend on the Left Bank of the Seine sits
directly across from Notre-Dame. The current store was opened in 1951 by
American George Whitman, who envisioned it as a place where readers, writers,
travelers and dreamers could gather.
The bookstore is known for nurturing 20th century
literary icons and its bohemian history where visitors can explore narrow
staircases, hidden reading nooks and thousands of volumes contained within a
cozy, intimate environment.
Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice (Photo Credit: Libreria Acqua Alta)
Libreria Acqua
Alta (Venice, Italy)
Libreria Acqua Alta is one of Venice’s most whimsical and
photographed bookstores. Opened in 2002 by Luigi Frizzo, the bookstore takes
its name from acqua alta, the Italian term for Venice’s periodic
high-water flooding. As a result, books are piled into gondolas, small boats
and bathtubs — both a practical response to rising water and an irresistibly
Venetian bit of theater. The result feels less like a conventional bookstore
and more like a wonderfully chaotic literary treasure hunt.
The venue’s ‘Follow the Books’ staircase is actually made
from hundreds of discarded books destined for recycling. Visitors are welcome
to climb the staircase for a view of the Venetian canals. Another quirky
feature is the number of cats wandering among the stacks of books, affectionately
known as the bookstore’s ‘guardians.’
El Ateneo Grand Splendid (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
This is one of the world’s greatest bookstore
transformations — a perfect example of how a historic building can find a
second life. The building opened in 1919 as the Teatro Grand Splendid hosting
theater, ballet, opera events and tango performances.
After becoming a cinema, in 2000 it opened as a gorgeous bookstore
with much of the original opulent theater architecture carefully preserved. The
former stage is now a café, still framed by the dramatic red velvet curtain.
Theater boxes have become intimate reading areas and balconies are lined with
bookshelves. The frescoed dome remains overhead, creating an extraordinary
ceiling and the former auditorium floor is now filled with thousands of books.
Part of El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (photo via Atlas Ocean Voyages) (Photo Credit: (photo via Atlas Ocean Voyages))
Boekhandel Dominicanen (Maastricht, Netherlands)
From a church to a bookstore. One of the world’s most
spectacular is located in Maastricht, Netherlands and housed inside a 13th-century
Dominican church. Contemporary bookshelves rise beneath soaring Gothic arches,
vaulted ceilings, stain-glassed windows, medieval artwork and centuries-old
stonework, creating an almost surreal experience.
A place once devoted to contemplation and worship has become
a place devoted to another kind of reflection — that of reading, and a
wonderful illustration of why memorable bookstores aren’t just about the books
alone, rather the setting, history, architecture and sense of discovery that people
travel for.
Baldwin's Book Barn (Photo Credit: Steve Sutton)
Baldwin’s Book Barn (West Chester, Pennsylvania)
The setting is extraordinary and all part of the story. The
Book Barn is a five-story stone dairy barn built in 1822 and originally part of
a Quaker farm in Chester County’s Brandywine Valley. The Baldwin family moved
their used-book and collectibles business here in 1946, transforming the
historic barn into a bookstore.
More treasure hunt than traditional bookstore, Baldwin’s
feels like stepping into a different place in time with its stone walls, rustic
wooden floors, low ceilings, winding stairways, cozy nooks and even a
pot-bellied stove. The bookstore, an amazing place to wander, specializes in
used, antiquarian, rare and fine books along with maps, prints, antiques and
collectibles.
The Last Bookstore (Los Angeles, California)
A former bank transformed into a surreal book-art
playground, The Last Bookstore is adventure, with stacks of books transformed
into massive art installations, arched tunnels, sculptures, and a book labyrinth
with winding shelves and hidden spaces.
The store was founded by Josh Spencer in 2005, initially
operating out of a small downtown L.A. loft and moved to its present location
in 2011. The somewhat ironic and prophetic name is reflective of the decline of
independent bookstores in the age of Amazon and e-books and fits beautifully
into the larger story of why people still love bookstores, something an
algorithm can’t — serendipity.
PHOTO: The Last Bookstore is California's biggest independent bookstore. (Photo via Flickr/Rach)
Word on the Water (London, UK)
How unique is a floating bookstore located on a 1920s barge?
Moored along London’s Regent’s Canal in King’s Cross and nearby Granary Square,
the historic vessel turned bookstore is packed with secondhand books. The
atmosphere is a huge part of the attraction with its old wooden shelves,
antique furnishings and a wood-burning stove to ward off London’s chilly,
overcast days.
The barge also doubles as a small literary and cultural
venue, its rooftop hosting live music, poetry readings and open-mic sessions.
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