Laie

Laie is a Spanish cultural management company best known for its bookshops and cultural retail stores. It was founded in Barcelona in 1979 by a group of friends led by Montse Moragas and Conxita Guixà, who opened the first Laie bookshop at 85 Carrer de Pau Claris. The shop opened in 1980 and specialised in books on art, history, philosophy, sociology, science and narrative. Over the following decades Laie expanded from a single bookshop into a group with more than twenty establishments across Spain, including bookshops, cafés and museum shops. Today Laie describes itself as the leading manager of bookshops and cultural stores in Spain. According to its careers page, it collaborates with 17 public and private institutions in the management of 34 establishments, and also works on the production and conceptualisation of cultural articles for museums around the world. Its locations include Laie Librería Café, the official shop of La Pedrera — Casa Milà, and Laie CCCB, among others. The company operates in cultural venues such as the CCCB, the Picasso Museum, CosmoCaixa, CaixaFòrum, MNAC, MACBA, Park Güell, La Pedrera, the Sagrada Família and the modernist site of the Hospital de Sant Pau. Laie combines retail with cultural programming. It runs the Laie Pau Claris courses, hosts events and participates in major cultural events such as La Setmana del Llibre en Català. The company has received recognition including the 2013 Trayectoria Award from the Gremi de Llibreters de Catalunya, the 2015 Boixareu Ginesta Prize for Bookshop of the Year from the Federación de Gremios de Editores de España, and the 2020 Memorial Pere Rodeja Prize with a special mention for its literary director Lluís Morral. Laie states that it is the first B Corp cultural manager in Spain, part of a community of more than 4,400 companies in 77 countries. It maintains active policies on gender equality, work-life balance, health and safety, diversity and environmental respect. After more than forty years, the company presents itself as committed to using its strength to generate a positive impact.

Laie began in December 1979 when a group of friends, led by Montse Moragas and Conxita Guixà, opened a bookshop at 85 Carrer de Pau Claris in Barcelona. The shop was inaugurated in 1980 and specialised in books on art, history, philosophy, sociology, science and narrative. Ten years after opening the Pau Claris bookshop, the café on the upper floor was added. In 1996 one of the booksellers, Antonio Ramírez, left Laie to open another Barcelona bookshop, La Central. By 2000 Laie had a stock of more than 40,000 books, 30% of which were imported in English, French, Italian, German and Portuguese, and a database with more than 160,000 references. To celebrate its first twenty years, the company published 1980-2000. 20 años de Laie, in which publishers and authors such as Jaume Vallcorba, Jorge Herralde, Andreu Martín, Josep Fontana and J. F. Yvars discussed the evolution of the sector and what attracted them to the establishment. Over the years Moragas and Guixà expanded the business by managing the bookshops of cultural spaces such as the CCCB (from 1999), the Picasso Museum, CosmoCaixa, CaixaFòrum, MNAC and MACBA, as well as spaces in Park Güell, La Pedrera, the Sagrada Família and the modernist site of the Hospital de Sant Pau. The company grew into a group with more than twenty establishments in Spain. Laie has received several awards: the 2013 Trayectoria Award from the Gremi de Llibreters de Catalunya; the 2015 Boixareu Ginesta Prize for Bookshop of the Year from the Federación de Gremios de Editores de España; and the 2020 Memorial Pere Rodeja Prize with a special mention for Lluís Morral, literary director of Laie Pau Claris. In the 2020s Laie presents itself as a cultural management company with wide and recognised experience in the bookshop and museum shop sector. Its careers page states that it is currently the leading manager of bookshops and cultural stores in Spain, collaborating with 17 public and private institutions in the management of 34 establishments, and also participating in the production and conceptualisation of cultural articles for museums around the world. The company has also become the first B Corp cultural manager in Spain, joining a community of more than 4,400 companies in 77 countries. It maintains active corporate social responsibility policies on gender equality, work-life balance, health and safety, diversity and the environment. Laie continues to run cultural programming such as the Laie Pau Claris courses and to participate in events like La Setmana del Llibre en Català.

• 2020

  Received the Memorial Pere Rodeja Prize with a special mention for Lluís Morral, literary director of Laie Pau Claris.

• 2015

  Received the Boixareu Ginesta Prize for Bookshop of the Year from the Federación de Gremios de Editores de España.

• 2013

  Received the Trayectoria Award from the Gremi de Llibreters de Catalunya.

• 2000

  Laie had more than 40,000 books in stock and a database of over 160,000 references; published 1980-2000. 20 años de Laie.

• 1999

  Laie began managing the bookshop of the CCCB.

• 1996

  Bookseller Antonio Ramírez left Laie to open La Central in Barcelona.

• 1989

  Ten years after opening the first bookshop, the café on the upper floor was added.

• 1980

  The Pau Claris bookshop was inaugurated, specialising in art, history, philosophy, sociology, science and narrative.

• 1979

  First Laie bookshop opened at 85 Carrer de Pau Claris, Barcelona, by Montse Moragas and Conxita Guixà and a group of friends.

Cultural management company and leading manager of bookshops and cultural stores in Spain, combining retail with cultural programming and social responsibility.

• Books

  Art, history, philosophy, sociology, science and narrative books, including imported titles.

• Museum shop merchandise

  Cultural articles produced and conceptualised for museums in Spain and worldwide.

• Laie courses

  Cultural courses such as the Laie Pau Claris 2026-27 programme on literature, philosophy and art.

1. 1Laie official websitelaie.es
2. 2Laie careers pagecareers.laie.es
3. 3Laie (librerías) - Wikipediaes.wikipedia.org
4. 4Laie - Wikidatawikidata.org