Gesloten na 114 jaar: Brentano’s Bookstore – Paris
Paris, June 15, 2009
Dear Friends,
It is with sadness, and astonishment – despite the prolonged agony of these last months – that we inform you of the official closing of Brentano’s Bookstore – Paris, Monday, June 15, 2009. We who remained for the final voyage are a skeleton crew. Along with the many cherished former colleagues you have known, we thank you for your vital collaboration and consideration throughout the years. …
After 114 years at the same address Brentano’s – the American Bookstore in Paris, will no longer welcome the curious passer-by and the faithful regular. In these final days many, many customers have expressed sincere disbelief and genuine anguish upon learning that this institution (in their minds invincible) will cease to exist.
We will miss our unique universe. We are thankful to have had the rare opportunity to know so many good and talented people from many nations and to have lived and worked in the world of books.
Best wishes, Susan Rosenberg and Alain Queval for Brentano’s – Paris
Verdrietig – Met bovenstaande brief maakte deze bekende boekhandel, vlak bij de Parijse Opera bekend dat het doek gevallen is. Vanaf 1895 was de winkel aan de Avenue de l’Opéra in bedrijf.
- Lees hier de uitgebreide geschiedenis van Brentano’s, begonnen in 1853 in New York.
Ook in Nederland zien we het aantal boekhandels steeds verder teruglopen:
De ruim 1500 boekhandels in Nederland staan sterk onder druk. “Ik denk dat er in de komende jaren zo’n driehonderd boekhandels in Nederland zullen verdwijnen”, zegt Ari Doeser, secretaris van de Nederlandse Boekverkopersbond (NBB). “Dat is ongeveer evenveel als er de afgelopen tien jaar verdwenen zijn. Maar verkleining van de markt is de tendens. Uiteindelijk zullen boeken daardoor steeds slechter beschikbaar worden.” (NRC Carriere 8 april 2009)
