Chiar dacă din punct de vedere economic suntem o bulină minusculă în marele indicator PIB, din punctul de vedere mult mai relevant al FIB („fericirea internă brută”) suntem destul de importanţi.”
Șerban Radu, fondator Cărtureşti

For more than two decades, Cărturești has been reshaping our expectations of what a bookstore can be. If Borges was correct and Paradise is an endless library, our mission is to bring this literary haven to the readers of Romania. This is why a visit to any Cărturești bookstore is an immersive experience. Beyond offering an extensive collection of books, music, and art films, Cărturești extends a warm welcome with fragrant teas, ambient music, captivating book launches, and exhibitions featuring renowned artists. The acclaim surrounding Cărturești bookstores is well-deserved; here, you discover more than just books.

Our proudest achievement lies in making reading "cool" once again. By creating a genuinely inviting space for customers to meet, engage in discussions, collaborate on projects, and, above all, indulge in reading, Cărturești has evolved over two decades into a "cool curator." Our shelves showcase a diverse array of objects that enhance the beauty of our lives: reading and tea accessories, decorative items, design objects, gadgets, and ingenious products. As a result, we have become a preferred destination for those seeking thoughtful gifts.

Cărturești belongs to those who imagined it. Alongside us in this continuous exercise of imagination are all those who believe in the transformative power of books, subtly shaping lives, and the influence of music and films in altering perspectives. Cărturești's readers are our most reliable partners and the most important commentators on our plans and actions. If you have something to share with us, we eagerly await your presence in our bookstores, on our blog, on Facebook, or at info@carturesti.net.

A SHORT HISTORY:

2000: Two young people, Nicoleta and Șerban, determined to create a community of ideas around books, open the first Cărturești bookstore. To this day, it stands proudly at 9 Edgar Quinet Street in the heart of Bucharest.

2003: Cărturești opens a second, much larger bookstore in Bucharest, this time on Pictor Arthur Verona Street, in a beautiful 19th-century house belonging to the Sturdza family.

2005-2010: Cărturești bookstores open in Iași, Timișoara, Cluj, Constanța, Suceava, Brașov, and Arad.

2008: An important cultural institution invites Cărturești to the Museum of the Romanian Peasant. At the end of 2008, on Romania's National Day, Cărturești and the Romanian Cultural Institute prepared a surprise for fellow Romanians in New York by inaugurating the first Romanian bookstore in the USA.

2009: In the summer of 2009, Cărturești offers the residents of Bucharest an oasis of peace and greenery, as well as a space for concerts and relaxation in the backyard of Cărturești Verona – the Verona Garden.

2009: A digital chapter unfolded as Cărturești ventured into the online realm with the launch of its virtual bookstore, carturesti.ro. Growing organically each year, it inherited the meticulous attention to detail and customer care from its brick-and-mortar predecessors.

2011: Cărturești opens a new bookstore, the first in a shopping mall in Bucharest – Cărturești AFI Palace Cotroceni. Introducing a fresh design concept to the Romanian retail landscape, it added a contemporary touch to large shopping centers.

2011: In December, Cărturești launches the ROD [Romanian Design] project, dedicated to showcasing, promoting, and selling products with Romanian design.

2012: Cărturești Palas Iași opens. Collaborating with the Square One architecture office, the saga of extravagant interior design, initiated at Cărturești AFI Cotroceni, continued in the most modern shopping complex in Romania.

2013 : Cărturești expanded its footprint with the unveiling of three new bookstores – two in the northern expanse of Bucharest, nestled within Băneasa Shopping City and Promenada Mall in Floreasca, and another in AFI Palace Ploiești.

2015: A landmark moment arrived in February when Cărturești unveiled a concept bookstore within a historic monument in the heart of Bucharest – Cărturești Carusel on Lipscani Street. In May, Cărturești MegaMall opened its doors in the shopping center of the same name.

2015 - 2019: By the dawn of 2019, Cărturești's influence stretched across 26 bookstores in 13 cities, including Bucharest, Timișoara, Cluj-Napoca, Iași, Brașov, Constanța, Suceava, Arad, Oradea, Craiova, Ploiești, Baia Mare, and Sibiu. Special projects such as Cărturești & friends, an umbrella space for Cărturești and its friends: Anthony Frost bookstore + Receptor studio, and Modul Cărturești, a hybrid bookstore blending visual culture, nature, art, and coffee, enriched the diverse portfolio.

2020: Facing the global challenges of the SARS-COV2 pandemic, Cărturești, like its counterparts worldwide, navigated the crisis. After a spring spent with closed spaces and the online bookstore as the only sales support, Cărturești comes back to life with the help of readers and opens collaborations with actors such as Vivre.ro, Mega Image, Tazz, Bringo, Food Panda – meant to make the bookstore more accessible to readers, wherever they are. The summer saw the launch of the CărTOURești campaign, symbolically transforming the bookstore into a travel agency, offering an alternative for unconventional holiday journeys. In the fall, the Cărturești Creative Grants initiative took flight, designed to support contemporary Romanian writers through creative residencies in collaboration with ProPatrimonio and Asociația Maria. In October, the 38th bookstore, Cărturești AFI Brașov, welcomed its first visitors.

2021: The year started with accolades: Șerban Radu received recognition from President Klaus Iohannis on National Culture Day, receiving the "Cultural Merit" Medal for his contribution to promoting culture. Simultaneously, Cărturești Verona secured the coveted title of Bookstore of the Year worldwide at the London Book Fair International Excellence Awards. Turning a new leaf, Cărturești Verso invited readers to relocate their workspace to Cărturești, celebrating its transformation into a coworking space through a partnership with HotSpot Workhub.

2022-2023: New Cărturești bookstores open across the country in Drobeta Turnu Severin, Târgoviște, Piatra Neamț, Arad, and Târgu Mureș, as well as a new bookstore in Chișinău, Cărturești Port. At the end of November 2023, the long-awaited bookstore in the heart of Cluj, Cărturești Casa Hintz, opens its doors, located next to the Pharmacy Museum. 2023 is also the year when Cărturești opens registrations for the Cărturino Awards, the first award dedicated to children's literature in Romania. Cărturești's creative Grants and Residencies continue their journey, reaching the 4th edition, while the Visual Creation Residencies in Viscri, opened with the support of Pro Patrimonio and Graphic Front, celebrate their first winners. The Carte & miere podcast is launched, dedicated to Romanian authors, but we also enjoy many visits from foreign authors to the bookstore, such as Gabor Mate or Viet Thanh Nguyen.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

While we take pride in the awards and honors we have received over the years, the paramount significance lies in the acknowledgment from our audience. They have been our steadfast partner in this daily adventure to preserve reading as a way of life.

• Superbrands Romania Award (2008, 2009, and 2013): Recognized as a Superbrand, Cărturești received this esteemed award in consecutive years as part of the Superbrands Program, dedicated to acknowledging exceptional performance in branding.
• Bookshop of the Month (April 2009): Selected by The Gestalten, Cărturești was highlighted as the Bookshop of the Month, showcasing our dedication to providing an outstanding bookstore experience.
• Corporate Social Responsibility (2010): Securing the second place in the Corporate Social Responsibility category at the Civil Society Gala in 2010, Cărturești was lauded for its impactful Street Delivery project.
• Coolest Bookstore in Romania and No 3 in the Top 100 Coolest Brands (2013): Forbes Awards in 2013 bestowed the titles of the Coolest Bookstore in Romania and the third place in the Top 100 Coolest Brands, underscoring our innovative approach.
• Certificate of Excellence (2012 and 2013): TripAdvisor acknowledged Cărturești with the Certificate of Excellence in both 2012 and 2013.
• Best Tea Shop in Bucharest (2011, 2012, and 2013): The Food & Bar Gala recognized Cărturești as the Best Tea Shop in Bucharest for three consecutive years, celebrating our unique blend of literature and tea culture.
• Best Marketing and PR Campaign (2013): The Romanian Book Industry Gala in 2013 awarded Cărturești for the Best Marketing and PR Campaign, recognizing our innovative promotional efforts.
• Finalists in the International Excellence Awards (2018): At the London Book Fair 2018, Cărturești earned the distinction of being finalists in the International Excellence Awards category.
• Business Category Award (2018): The Biz Gala - Values of Romania honored Cărturești in 2018 with the Business Category Award.
• Laureates (2018): The Made in Romania Gala in 2018 celebrated Cărturești as one of the laureates, highlighting our dedication to promoting Romanian culture.
• 2nd Place at the Webstock Awards (2020): In the competitive field of Best Company Blog, Cărturești secured the second place at the Webstock Awards in 2020, showcasing our commitment to engaging online content.
• Award for "Architecture of Interior Arrangements/Corporate and Retail Arrangements" (2020): The Bucharest Architecture Annual in 2020 acknowledged Cărturești with an award for excellence in the Architecture of Interior Arrangements, both in corporate and retail spaces.
• "Cultural Merit" Medal Class III, Category F – "Promotion of Culture" (2021): President Klaus Iohannis awarded Cărturești co-founder Șerban Radu with the "Cultural Merit" Medal Class III in the category of "Promotion of Culture" in 2021.
• Bookstore of The Year Award (June 2021): Cărturești Verona received the prestigious Bookstore of The Year Award at the London Book Fair International Excellence Awards in June 2021.