Carturesti bookstore group posts 5.3m-euro turnover

The Carturesti group, which owns a chain of nine bookstores in Bucharest, Timisoara, Cluj, Constanta, Iasi and Suceava, ended last year with a 5.3 million-euro turnover, up 43% on the previous year. "Last year the company opened five stores, doubling its retail area, with the investments having an impact on the company's revenues," said Serban Radu, co-owner of the group, alongside Nicoleta Dumitru. Sales went up in all Carturesti bookstores last year, in those located in Bucharest, as well as in Timisoara and Cluj bookstores, by similar ratios. "The bookstores in Constanta and Suceava were opened in late last year, and the one in Suceava (which was temporarily closed in August) was reopened in an eight times larger area, so they cannot be directly compared to the other ones. Additionally, the main bookstore in Bucharest, on Magheru Boulevard has expanded its surface area," he added. The investment in the Constanta bookstore amounted to 450,000 euros last year. For this year, company representatives expect a moderate sales rise, by 5-10%. "The Romanian book market has striven to approach the level of regional book markets, recording significant rises over the last two-three years (...)", Radu also said.