Independent bookstores are disappearing across Lithuania’s regions, as consumers increasingly buy books online or at large retail chains, leaving many small-town shops struggling to remain viable.
To stay afloat, some municipally owned bookstores are expanding beyond books, stocking everything from handbags and scarves to household and cosmetic products.
“At our store, we sell Lithuania-made handbags and scarves,” said Inga Krapavickiene, director of the Pasvalys Bookstore, explaining how the business had diversified in an effort to survive.
Krapavickiene said selling books alone was no longer enough to sustain the store.
Although Lithuania reduced the value-added tax on books to 5% this year, she said higher wholesale prices had offset much of the benefit.
“Publishers have also begun supplying schools directly with educational materials and school supplies,” Krapavickiene said. “As a result, we have lost some of our customers.”
The bookstore, the only one in Pasvalys, a town of over 6,000 people in the north of Lithuania, has operated at a loss for several years.
To reduce expenses, Krapavickiene cut her own salary by reducing her managerial position to a half-time role while working the remainder of her hours as a sales consultant. She also gave up her annual bonus.
The Pasvalys Bookstore is one of only three bookstores in Lithuania owned by municipalities. Because the business is unprofitable, the local government has repeatedly stepped in to cover its financial obligations.
Officials warn that if conditions do not improve, the bookstore could eventually be forced to close.
Many local residents say the store remains an important part of community life.
“We absolutely need it,” one resident told LRT TV. “Books are food for the soul. We do not live on physical food alone. If it disappeared, it would be a catastrophe.”
Another resident said bookstores provided more than just books.
“People need a place where they can come, buy a book, talk to others and spend time together,” she said.
The municipality is attempting to support the business by increasing its share capital by 20,000 euros and expanding sales through an online store.
Pasvalys Mayor Gintautas Geguzinskas said public support for the bookstore remained strong in theory, but not always in practice.
“If you ask almost any resident whether the bookstore is necessary, 95% will say yes,” he said. “But it would help much more if those same people actually came into the store and bought something.”
The situation is similar in other parts of the country.
The bookstore in Sirvintos, another municipally owned shop, is also struggling to survive.
“Many primary school students now use digital workbooks and complete assignments on computers,” said Vaiva Daugeliene, director of the Sirvintos Bookstore. “People borrow books from libraries, read electronically and purchase books online from large retail chains that can offer lower prices.”
Research shows that the number of bookstores in Lithuania has fallen by nearly 40% over the past decade, with the sharpest decline occurring in regional towns and smaller municipalities.
Consumers cite convenience as one of the main reasons for shopping online.
“With online bookstores, you can read summaries and reviews before buying,” one shopper said. “For some reason, I prefer that experience.”
Another resident acknowledged rarely visiting physical bookstores despite owning books at home.
“Nowadays, online shopping is everywhere,” she said. “Even though we have bookstores, we do not visit them as often.”
According to estimates, around 20 municipalities across Lithuania, or one third of the total, no longer have a bookstore at all, raising concerns about access to books and cultural life outside the country’s largest cities. (LRT)