A 100-Year-Old Theater Given New Life as a Bookstore and It's Absolutely Beautiful
There’s something so wonderfully inviting about unique bookstores. Not only are these places filled with undiscovered treasures for the avid reader, they’re quaint and charming in a way that chain stores just aren’t.
Most bookworms will know the local hangouts. They can direct you to the closest treasure trove, but there are renowned bookstores in other locales, too.
For example, Shakespeare and Company — are you really a book nerd if you don’t know about this place? Tucked into an impossibly small shop with tiny staircases and even a resident cat, the smell of books is almost overpowering.
If you’re the sort of person who likes traveling and books, then add this spot to your list: located in Buenos Aires, Argentina, it’s a feast for the eyes and the mind.
The building, which was built in 1919, has had several different purposes — all of them artistic. In the beginning, it was created as a performing arts theater.
When that began to wane, it was upgraded to a cinema, with a live orchestra playing alongside the silent films.
That was in 1929. According to Atlas Obscura, in 2000 the cinema was not only doing poorly, its future was unsure as well.
There were those who wanted to raze the building, probably to build something more practical in its place. But Grupo Ilhsa stepped in to preserve the beauty and artistry of the theater while also repurposing it.
The original paintings by Nazareno Orlandi on the ceiling have been kept intact, according to Insider. The stage has been turned into a cafe, and the theater boxes have been turned into cozy reading rooms.
It’s a paradise, really, even if you’re not a book-lover, with its ornate detailing, plush curtains, and mood-setting lighting.
But if you are a book-lover, they do have an English section. If you can read Spanish, even better! There are plenty of tomes to choose from.
And since there’s a cafe, you can combine reading with lunch or coffee, which really is the perfect pairing.
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