Vulkan, new bookstore chain in Serbia

Serbia is now richer for a new bookstore chain - Vulkan, which is opened by publishing companies Mono & Manana and Alnari. Under slogan "Eruption of Ideas", these two respectable publishers from Belgrade, which operate for nearly two decades, are going to open bookstores in Delta City and Mercator centers in Belgrade, Čačak, Niš and Kragujevac on Tuesday (June 1st), and the chain already comprises three former Alnari bookstores in Niš, Novi Sad and Pančevo.

According to Nenad Atanacković, one of the two owners of Mono & Manana, five bookstores will be opened in the outlets previously used by IPS. As Atanacković specified, they have decided to make this risky move because it is "the last hope for Serbian publishing business, which does not have adequate retail space and books stay buried in storages, especially the books of those publishers that have modest production and do not have either clubs or bookstores".

- These bookstores are, definitely, not going to be our "clubs" since their offer will include the books published by Mono&Manana and Alnari, as well as the books of any other publisher if they are worth attention and attractive to buyers - Atanacković pointed out.

He hopes that Vulkan chain will later include a bookstore in the center of Belgrade as well. The possibilities will also be considered for opening bookstores in Subotica and in some other places in the provinces, where the number of potential buyers is bigger.

Atanacković pointed out that his ambition was that Vulkan bookstores represent, first of all, the temples of book where each visitor can get the information on the books of his interest, where special purchase benefits would be offered and books would be put on sale.

Atanacković also promised many interesting programmes, one of which is reading to the youngest buyers.

Namely, the idea is that volunteers be hired, or even some celebrities who are willing to come on certain day in the week and read new books for children to the youngest kids in the afternoon hours in order to form a new army of future readers.

Vulkan bookstores are situated in the space (1,500 square meters) that was seriously threatened to be occupied by perfume stores or boutiques. Atanacković warns that that would have been fatal for Serbian publishers, which are already in a very difficult situation.