29 mrt 2024 om 14:39
Athenaeum Boekhandel takes over competitor Scheltema after years of making losses. The two well-known Amsterdam bookstores hope to get back into the black with the collaboration.
Both stores made a loss in 2022 and 2023, but sold more books in 2023. “By working together behind the scenes, we think we can create a healthy future for both bookstores,” says Paulien Loerts, director and owner of Athenaeum.
Last year, Loerts contacted Novamedia, the current owner of Scheltema, “to investigate the possibilities for collaboration”. “Those discussions ultimately led to the acquisition of the shares,” says Loers. Athenaeum will retroactively take over all Scheltema shares from January 1.
Little will be visible from the outside of the takeover. However, the stores will share more behind the scenes. According to F.D this concerns customer service, import, finance and human resources.
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Novamedia sells Scheltema after ten years
Athenaeum bookstores can be found in Amsterdam and Haarlem, with the best-known branch on the Spui in the capital. Scheltema, the well-known bookstore on Rokin, has been around for 171 years. The current owner Novamedia also owns the Postcode Lottery and the Friends Lottery. Novamedia bought Scheltema ten years ago from the bookstore chain Polare, which went bankrupt in 2014.
“We look forward to working with the Athenaeum team, with whom we have always had a very collegial relationship,” says Scheltema branch director Gretske de Jong.
Tags: Iconic Amsterdam bookstores Scheltema Athenaeum continue Economy
