Romanian bookstore chain Librarium has rented the Petrascu villa in the Romana square in Bucharest, where it will open the Librarium Bastilia bookshop, according to CBRE Romania, which intermediated the lease. The 530-sqm patrimony building will be renovated and will become a place for youth socializing and past time spending, especially for students of nearby universities, according to Librarium.

'Central spaces and houses with a story, architectural monuments or simply buildings that have outlasted centuries, the Librarium locations are first of all revamped, to regain their old time spark. According to the concept and because the space allows it, each Librarium location should be a bookshop for all,” said Cornel Nicolae Moisoiu, development director and main shareholder in Librarium.

The 100-year old Gheorghe Petrascu house is part of the three-villa compound of the Petrascu brothers. Gheorghe Petrascu was one of the most important painters of the inter-war period in Romania.

The Librarium project is run through One Distribution Company, which posted a turnover of EUR 223,000 last year and a loss of EUR 205,000.

Corina Saceanu, corina@romania-insider.com

(photo source: CBRE)