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Viennese bookstores on the rise: tradition meets a breath of fresh air!
Find out how the Laaber bookstore in Döbling is being revitalized with new management and what challenges await the industry.
Viennese bookstores on the rise: tradition meets a breath of fresh air!
They still exist in Vienna – the Viennese booksellers. Despite the challenges facing the bookselling industry, the love for the printed pages remains undiminished. This week, the Hochleithner and Kohlseisen couple took over the traditional Laaber bookstore in Vienna-Landstrasse. After 44 years, the previous owners, the Laaber couple, have passed on the baton due to age reasons. The press reports that Hochleithner, who previously conducted research in Congo and worked at the University of Zurich, plans to give the bookstore, which will retain its old name, a gentle rejuvenation. The goal is to create a “Cozy Bookshop feel” while keeping long-time employees and promoting the bookstore as a gathering place for the community.
Changes in the book landscape
The takeover comes at a time when there is a lot of movement in the Viennese book scene. Contrasting developments show that the classic bookselling business is still attractive. In addition to the Laaber bookstore, there is the recent revival of the almost 100-year-old Döblinger bookstore by Mirko Waniczek and the takeover of the Eckart bookstore in Josefstadt by Gregor Grohmann. This suggests that not all bookstores are falling by the wayside – demand and appreciation for literature clearly remains high.
Book Vienna and the challenges
A big event that shouldn't go unmentioned is Buch Wien, Austria's largest book fair, which takes place from November 12th to 15th at Messe Wien. This event is seen as an important forum for raising awareness of books as a cultural asset. Kristina Macherhammer from the Vienna Chamber of Commerce also notes that although the prices for books have not risen significantly compared to other foodstuffs, the high VAT of 10% is seen as a problem. For comparison: In Switzerland the VAT on books is only 2.6%.
The market for bookstores in Vienna
Vienna has around 160 stationary bookstores, which represents a high density per resident. Here you can find traditional houses as well as new concepts that, like the new “Hafi Books & Café” and the “Bibliobox” in Ottakring, are a breath of fresh air. From 2026, the cooperatively run bookstore Buchquartier will also open in the 14th district, which represents a further positive development for the book landscape in Vienna.
Despite the many challenges, the book trade in Vienna is optimistic about the future - also thanks to committed entrepreneurs who put their hearts and minds into preserving and passing on the cultural heritage of books.