Bookstores seem to be dying faster than it takes to download the complete works of Shakespeare these days, so when one comes back from the grave, it’s a cause for celebration. As is the case in New York, where venerable retailer Rizzoli Bookstore – booted out of its grandiose West 57th Street premises in April 2014 – reopened for business in 2015. Some feared Rizzoli’s flagship would be gone for good, mounting protests to decry the loss of its elaborate ceilings bedecked with chandeliers, iron-railed balconies and, of course, its well-stocked shelves. Thankfully, that didn’t happen and the store’s premises on Broadway (1133 Broadway at 26th Street, New York; +1 212-759-2424), are now decked out in a similarly grand fashion. The brick-and-mortar survivors – and brave newcomers – have adapted to the Age of Amazon in their own ways, from opening 24 hours to undergoing spectacular design renovations or stocking books that aren’t sold by the online giant. Old or new, all with fascinating stories, the bookstores below serve as historic sites, sanctuaries, salons of culture and must-visit entries in any travel itinerary. So take a moment and browse away at these bookstore destinations: Shakespeare and Company (Paris) Opened in 1951, this Paris Left Bank fixture looks like something straight out of a Hemingway book – for good reason. Beach closed her store in 1941, but in 1958 gave her blessing for another – called Le Mistral – to take the Shakespeare and Company name. From its opening day, the second Shakespeare and Company has incorporated writers’ residencies. “My father always aspired to continue the same spirit Sylvia Beach created in her bookstore – welcoming and hosting writers and sharing books through our reading room,” Sylvia Whitman, daughter of founder George Whitman, tells CNN. Eslite Dunnan Store (Taipei, Taiwan) In 1999, the first Eslite bookstore delighted the city of Taipei by staying open 24 hours a day. It’s been so successful, two more Eslite branches have opened in the capital. MORE: 7 of the most beautiful libraries in the world El Ateneo (Buenos Aires, Argentina) Converted into a cinema in 1929, the building that houses El Ateneo underwent its most recent rebirth into a bookstore in the early 2000s. Librairie Avant-Garde (Nanjing, China) China’s most beautiful bookstore is located inside a massive underground parking lot once used as a bomb shelter. The 4,000-square-meter store’s unusual features include large crosses, a copy of Rodin’s “The Thinker” and a checkout counter built out of thousands of old books. “A good bookshop should provide space, vision and nurture the city with its humanitarian spirit,” owner Qian Xiaohua tells CNN. “It’s a place for people to have dreams in the city.” Librairie Avant-Garde, 173 Guangzhou lu (next to Wutaishan Stadium), Gulou District, Nanjing; +86 25 8371 1455; open daily 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Assouline Venezia (Venice, Italy) Located on the ground floor of the Bauer Hotel, a restored 18th-century palazzo, the newest boutique opened by luxury publisher Assouline is a study in beautiful interior design. The store stocks many of the label’s most expensive books, such as handcrafted volumes from its Ultimate Collection – priced from $500 to $7,000 – which range in subject matter from fashion and architecture to travel and lifestyle. Assouline Venezia, Baur Hotel, San Marco, Venice, Italy; +39 041 240 6876; Monday-Saturday 10:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Livraria Lello (Porto, Portugal) Previous incarnations of this sublime bookstore and its publishing house date to 1869, but this beauty was built in 1906 by engineer Xavier Esteves. A century later, it remains arguably the world’s most beautiful bookstore, with neo-Gothic architecture incorporating stained glass, a sweeping staircase and a plaster ceiling imitating wood. Livraria Lello, Rua das Carmelitas 144, Porto, Portugal; +351 22 200 2037; Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Boekhandel Dominicanen (Maastricht, Netherlands) Built in the 13th century, this 1,100-square-meter former Dominican church was converted into a bookstore in 2006. “There is always something happening here,” Boekhandel Dominicanen representative Ton Harmes tells CNN. Boekhandel Domincanen, Dominicanerkerkstraat 1, Maastricht, Netherlands; +31 43 410 0010; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Powell’s City of Books (Portland, Oregon) Visitors should set aside a good two to three days to get lost in this iconic Portland landmark. New and used editions are shelved side by side, giving customers a handy choice of price options. The staff’s passion for reading shines through on the store’s treasure of a website, which features an entertaining book blog in addition to a comprehensive and ambitious online store. Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W. Burnside St., Portland, Oregon; +1 503 228 4651; 9 a.m.-11 p.m. daily Books for Cooks (Melbourne, Australia) Housed in a 150-year-old former sly grog shop (speakeasy) on one of Melbourne’s most interesting streets, this small bookstore is the only retail shop in Australia specializing in cookbooks. Treasures include several beautiful 18th-century culinary books. “Our customers are chefs, foodies and armchair gourmets,” co-owner Tim White tells CNN. “We catalog more than 40,000 cookbooks and on any given day have at least 30,000 in stock.” Books for Cooks, 33 Gertrude St. Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia; + 613 8415 1415; Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Strand (New York) Back in the 1920s, six blocks of Manhattan’s Fourth Avenue were known as “Book Row.” After moving to its current location on Broadway and 12th Street, the beloved NYC store built up a staggering catalog that now includes 2.5 million new, used and rare books. “Our most expensive title in store right now is a copy of James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’ illustrated by Henri Matisse,” says marketing manager Brianne Sperber. “People still read hardbacks and books are still collectors’ items so we expect Strand will continue to fare well against Amazon,” says Sperber. Strand, 828 Broadway New York; +1 212 473 1452; Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Rare Book Room closes daily at 6:15 p.m. 1200 Bookshop (Guangzhou, China) It may just be a few weeks old, but this quirky 24-hour shop is already making a name for itself, not only for selling books and coffee, but also for providing a haven for travelers. “We are doing business at the store during daytime but making friends at night,” says founder Liu Erxi. To apply for a stay, travelers must email the store (1200bookshop@sina.com) in advance, stating their background and reasons for requesting a stay – foreign tourists are welcome. Chosen guests may be asked to share their experiences with customers during one of the regular midnight in-store seminars. 1200 Bookshop, 27 East Tiyu ST, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; +86 20 8526 0827; open 24 hours daily Foyles flagship (London) In June 2014, the century-old London bookseller moved into its spacious new digs – the size of 13 tennis courts – just a step away from its former home. Foyles’ new space has its own interesting history as the former Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design building, where Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney once studied. Foyles flagship, 107 Charing Cross Road, London; +44 20 7437 5660; 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily John K. King Used & Rare Books (Detroit, Michigan) Opened in 1965, this massive bookstore is one of Detroit’s must-visit venues. Some of the most notable books in the King collection? “Right now, we have a copy of the true First Edition of the Book of Mormon, priced at $100,000,” owner John K. King tells CNN. A quote from its website sums up the store’s enormous scale: “We buy books and libraries!” John K. King Used & Rare Books, W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit, Michigan; +1 313 961 0622; Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Stanfords (London) This large and airy store in the heart of London’s Covent Garden should come with warnings of itchy feet. To gaze across the shelves in Stanfords – one of the world’s finest travel book shops – is to consider a world of adventurous opportunities. This is the place to go for anyone embarking on foolish treks into the Great Unknown. No matter how unknown the Unknown is, Stanfords probably has not only a guidebook, but a fold-out street map detailing where to find the Unknown’s best cocktails. It’s not just guidebooks and maps. Stanfords, 12-14 Long Acre, London; +44 207836 1321; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. daily Parnassus Books (Nashville, Tennessee) When “Bel Canto” author Ann Patchett opened a bookstore in Nashville on a whim, with a partner she’d just met, she didn’t expect to be become the unofficial spokesperson for independent bookstores struggling in Amazon’s wake. Patchett’s efforts to publicize the store thrust it immediately into the literary spotlight when it opened, securing a New York Times front page story and a spot on “The Colbert Report.” Thanks to Patchett’s connections, Parnassus – an ancient Greek term for the world of poetry – has no shortage of famous writers (David Sedaris, Jonathan Franzen and Michael Pollan among them) turning up to read from their latest books. “I get to recommend the books I like to read,” Patchett tells CNN. “All my life I’ve loved telling people what books I think they’ll love, now I have a lot more people to tell.” Parnassus Books, 3900 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, Tennessee; +1 615 953 2243; Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday noon-5 p.m. Cafebreria El Pendulo (Polanco, Mexico City) Cafebreria El Pendulo (Polanco, Mexico City) Breakfast on the weekend at this adored bookstore and cafe is accompanied by live classical music. Cafebreria El Pendulo, Alejandro Dumas 81, Miguel Hidalgo, Polanco, 11560 Ciudad de Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico; +52 55 5280 4111; Monday-Wednesday 8 a.m.-11 p.m., Thursday-Friday 8 a.m.-midnight, Saturday 9 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.-10 p.m. MORE: Modern marvels of the world The Last Bookstore (Los Angeles, California) Hopefully, the Last Bookstore will never fulfill the prophecy of its name. The store’s columnar displays of books are so cool, they served as a backdrop for a fashion shoot in the latest issue of “Esquire.” “The space we occupy was originally a bank, and there are still vaults on both floors of our store, but now they are full of books,” says store manager Katie Orphan. “We generally have around 200,000 books in the store at any given time.” The Last Bookstore, 453 Spring St., Los Angeles, CA, USA 90013; +1 213-488-0599; Monday-Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., Los Angeles; +1 213 488 0599; Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
