World’s Oldest Bookstores
The Guinness World Records has declared Bertrand Bookstore in Lisbon, Portugal the oldest. Bertrand Bookstore was opened in 1732 by Peter Faure. Located in the heart of Lisbon, next to the Opera, this bookstore was declared as such by Guinness World Records in 2011.
The Moravian Bookshop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is the oldest continuously-operating bookstore in the United States. It survived two moves back to its original location. In 1745, Samuel Powell was appointed to run a new bookstore for the Moravian Church. When the bookstore was acquired by Moravian College, its location changed once more a few blocks to Main Street.
The First Bookstore Owners
Who opened the first book store? It was opened by Pedro Faure. Bertrand holds the title of the oldest bookstore in the world in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Moravian Book Shop is a bookstore based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1745 by the Moravian Church and lays claim to being the oldest continuously operating bookstore in the United States and the second oldest in the world.
Celebrating Bookstores
Today is Independent Bookstore Day! Go on and celebrate the difference bookstores make.
The Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop was the first bookshop to specialize in books of interest mostly to gay men.
Amazon Enters the Physical Retail Space
Amazon is opening its first physical bookstore, 20 years after the world’s biggest online retailer started selling publications on the internet. The company will unveil a shop called Amazon Books at University Village in Seattle, on Tuesday.
Historical Bookstores Around the World
Where was the first bookstore in Paris located? Giovanni Antonio Galignani decided to open a bookstore in Paris in 1801 on rue Vivienne. Both bookstore and reading space, it specialized in 19th century English literature.
Oldest Family-Owned Bookstore in the U.S.
What is the oldest family owned bookstore in the United States? The oldest family-owned bookstore in the United States is Warwick’s in La Jolla, California. Founded in 1896, it boasts a long and rich history. Warwick’s calls itself the “oldest continuously family-owned and operated bookstore.”
In 1809 Andover Bookstore opened in Andover, Massachusetts. Dedicated to being a community staple for over 200 years, Andover Bookstore’s hometown feel lives on.
Moravian is the oldest bookstore in the United States. Founded in 1745, it has expanded over the years, taking over neighboring buildings. It now occupies 15,000 square feet in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Brentano’s was founded as an independent bookstore in New York City in 1853.