Carturesti Carusel Bookstore

Last week saw the opening of Carturesti Carusel, the newest and most modern bookstore concept in Romania. The building is a true historical monument, located on Lipscani Street in Bucharest's Old Town, and spans six levels totaling 1,000 square meters.

The concept belongs to the Square One architecture firm, which has previously worked on other projects for the Carturesti bookstore chain. They succeeded in transforming Carturesti Carusel into a space that respects the specific 19th-century architecture while elegantly incorporating modern interior design elements.

The revival of this architectural gem in the heart of Bucharest revolves around a sum of 1 million euros. The old building, currently a bookstore, was built in 1860 and previously served as the headquarters of Banca Crissoveloni. After the communists came to power, it was transformed into a department store.

The importance of this entire transformation also lies in the decision of the owner, Jean Chrissoveloni, who preferred to rent the space to Carturesti rather than other companies that could have opened a club or bar in the building.

I hope this building will continue to benefit the street, the economy, and all of you who love books, said the owner of the landmark building in Bucharest's Old Town.

One of the founders of Carturesti, Nicoleta Iordan, has also said that she is often told that investing in a bookstore these days would be madness.

It's a project that began 14 months ago when we first saw the space and couldn't refuse the joy of opening a bookstore here, she stated, adding that creating Libraria Carturesti Carusel meant hundreds of hours just in discussions and decisions to define the design theme.

In addition to books and films, Carturesti Carusel also features an exhibition space, a multimedia area, a bistro, and ample room for a short stroll among the bookshelves.