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 Lithuanian-made handbags and scarves,” said Inga Krapavickienė, director of the Pasvalys Bookstore, explaining how the business has diversified in an effort to survive.
Krapavickienė said selling books alone is 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 have offset much of the benefit.
