Athenaeum Boekhandel takes over Amsterdam bookstore Scheltema
The Scheltema bookstore on Rokin in the Amsterdam city center has been taken over by the Athenaeum Boekhandel, the two businesses announced on Friday. Scheltema holds an iconic presence in the capital, having been in operation since 1853, while Athenaeum first set up shop in 1966.
Both businesses were loss-making in 2022 and 2023. "By working together behind the scenes, we think we can create a healthy future for both bookstores. The most important thing is that we can continue to invest in the best booksellers, because they ensure that our bookstores are pleasant places, with the best range and very good service," said Paulien Loerts, the owner and director of Athenaeum Boekhandel.
Scheltema operated independently for more than a century, before it was acquired by the publishing company Kluwer in 1970. It was then part of the Boekhandels Groep Nederland, which was eventually renamed to Selexyz. When that company found itself in financial trouble, it merged with retail firm De Slegte, eventually taking on the name Polare. Polare was then declared bankrupt in 2014.
Scheltema was then acquired by Novamedia, which operates the lotteries, Nationale Postcode Loterij and VriendenLoterij. The book store was moved out of its Koningsplein home and into a new multi-storey retail home on Rokin in 2015.
"After the bankruptcy of Polare ten years ago, Novamedia has taken very good care of Scheltema, so well that Scheltema can now continue to grow on its own two feet," said Loerts.
"We took over Scheltema at the time because we wanted to keep this 'world famous' bookstore as part of the city," said Novamedia board member Imme Rog. "With Paulien Loerts and Derk Haank as owners, Scheltema will get the attention it deserves."
Loerts and co-owner Derk Haank reached out to Novamedia to see what possibilities there were to bring Athenaeum and Scheltema together to prevent having to reduce the operations of either bookseller. "I firmly believe in bookstores as commercial, cultural 'community centers', as the nicest places in every city or village," Loerts said. "I am very much looking forward to this new collaboration and would like to call on everyone to buy books in the bookstore."
Scheltema will be the sixth book store owned by Atheneum Boekhandel. The company operates a location on the Spui in Amsterdam, two in the city's Zuid district, and another in Zuidoost. It also operates a shop in Haarlem.
