Number of bookstores in Lithuania falls nearly 40% over ten years
Independent bookstores in Lithuania's regions are disappearing as consumers increasingly buy online or from large retail chains, forcing small-town shops to diversify with non-book items and seek other survival strategies.
The number of bookstores in Lithuania has dropped by nearly 40% over the past decade, with the sharpest decline in regional towns and smaller municipalities. Independent bookstores are gradually vanishing as consumers turn to online shopping and large retail chains, leaving many small-town bookstores struggling to stay viable.
To remain afloat, some municipally owned bookstores have diversified their product range. For instance, the Pasvalys Bookstore, the only bookstore in a town of over 6,000 people in northern Lithuania, now sells handbags, scarves, and other household and cosmetic items in addition to books. Director Inga Krapavickienė explains that selling books alone is no longer enough to sustain the business. Although Lithuania reduced the value-added tax on books to 5% this year, she notes that higher wholesale prices have largely offset the benefit. Moreover, publishers have begun supplying schools directly with educational materials, reducing the bookstore's customer base.
The Pasvalys Bookstore has been operating at a loss for several years. To cut costs, Krapavickienė halved her managerial position to part-time and works the rest as a sales consultant, also giving up her annual bonus. This bookstore is one of only three in Lithuania owned by municipalities. The local government has repeatedly covered its financial obligations, but officials warn that if conditions do not improve, the store may eventually close.
Local residents emphasize the store's importance to the community. One resident said that books are food for the soul and its disappearance would be a catastrophe. Another noted that people need a place to come, buy a book, talk, and spend time together. The municipality is trying to support the business by increasing its share capital by €20,000 and expanding online sales. Pasvalys Mayor Gintautas Gegužinskas acknowledged that while public support for the bookstore is strong in theory, it does not always translate into actual purchases.
A similar situation is unfolding in other parts of the country, such as the Širvintos Bookstore, another municipally owned shop struggling to survive. Director Vaiva Daugėlienė points out that many primary school students now use digital workbooks and complete assignments on computers, while people borrow books from libraries, read electronically, and purchase from large retail chains offering lower prices. According to estimates, around 20 municipalities, or one-third of all Lithuanian municipalities, no longer have a bookstore, raising concerns about access to books and cultural life outside the largest cities.
