Context and Overview
Founded in 2000 by Nicoleta and Șerban, Cărturești began with a small Bucharest shop designed to “create a community of ideas around books.” It has since grown into a national network that mixes books, music, design objects, tea houses, galleries, and events; flagship locations include Cărturești Verona (opened 2003) and Cărturești Carusel in the Old Town (2015) — a restored heritage building that became a global icon for experiential book retail.
1. Whole Being — Culture, Belonging, and the “Third Place”
Cărturești designs stores as spaces for unhurried exploration and wellbeing: reading corners, tea rooms, and music create an atmosphere that invites reflection. The brand promotes a “relaxed mood” and a participatory community online, where readers interact through reviews and event content. Verona’s concept-store format blends literature, design, and young creators’ work, reinforcing identity and belonging.
Practices
Quiet, comfortable “stay” zones (tea rooms, salons, galleries).
Regular talks, launches, workshops that normalize cultural participation.
Curated, human editorial voice across shelves and online content.
2. Value Co-Creation — Retail as a Cultural Platform
Cărturești functions as an open platform that convenes authors, publishers, educators, makers, and citizens. The stores host hundreds of live cultural events annually (concerts, exhibitions, festivals) and partner with designers and institutions; the Verona mansion and Carusel’s multi-level gallery/café enable modular programming that readers co-shape through attendance and feedback.
Signals of co-creation
Community-led events and series (youth festivals, literature dialogues, workshops).
Shelf curation and “concept-store” space showcasing local designers.
City-branding role: Carusel became an attraction drawing locals and tourists alike, reinforcing the wider urban cultural ecosystem.
3. Alive Purpose — “A Community Around Books”
From the outset, the stated intent was to cultivate a community of ideas, not just sell titles. That superior purpose shows up in heritage restorations (Carusel, Verona), in advocacy for reading as public culture, and in the editorial layer of carturesti.ro (events, blog, recommendations) — positioning the brand as steward of cultural life, not only a retailer.
4. Metamorphic Structure — Multi-Format, Adaptive Spaces
Cărturești mixes high-street, mall, and heritage locations; each site adapts form and programming to its urban context. Carusel’s 19th/early-20th century bank building was rehabilitated into a six-level “living library” with café and gallery; Verona occupies a 19th-century mansion with distinct themed rooms, attic and garden, enabling modular experiences and seasonal activations.
Governance and Decision Flow — Curatorial Stewardship
While specific internal governance is not public, the brand’s external actions suggest principle-based stewardship:
Place stewardship: Long-horizon investments in heritage conservation (Carusel/Verona).
Cultural transparency: A public editorial layer (site/blog/events) that makes programming choices visible and interactive.
Brand coherence: A unifying identity system developed as the network expanded across diverse sites.
Systemic Integration
Lessons for Other Organisations
Design for staying, not just selling. Third-place features convert footfall into community.
Program the space. Events and partnerships turn a store into a platform.
Curate identity consistently across formats. A coherent brand system enables diversity of places.
Invest in cultural infrastructure. Heritage restoration can become a strategic asset and public good.
Blend online editorial with physical experience. Keep the cultural conversation going beyond the shelf.
Conclusion
Cărturești demonstrates how a retailer can evolve into a living cultural system: a network of places and programs that nurture readers’ whole experience, co-create value with communities, and adapt structure to context. In the Romanian landscape, it stands as a practical model of aliveness — where purpose, space, and community reinforce each other.
“A community of ideas around books.” – Founders of Cărturești
Enjoy reading and applying these materials. If you’d like to receive additional information regarding Alive Organisations topic please subscribe below.