Söderköpings Bokhandel

Söderköpings Bokhandel is a bookshop in Söderköping, Sweden, commonly described as the oldest still-existing bookshop in the country, with its founding date usually given as 1815. It is located at Storgatan 7 in Söderköping. The business began in the early 19th century when Sven Matthias Theodor Cederborg, then mayor and postmaster of Söderköping, started selling books from his stationery shop on Storgatan. In its early years the bookshop was also connected to a printing press. The exact date or year he began selling books is uncertain, but the house in which he initially sold them was built by him in 1815. Local historian Ola Lönnqvist has argued that Cederborg may have sold books as early as 1812, though the current building was not erected until 1830, even if the earlier bookshop stood at the same address. The precise origin of the bookshop is therefore a matter of definition. The shop has passed through many hands over two centuries. Cederborg's son Philip Wilhelm Cederborg, also a postmaster, took over and ran it for nearly 30 years under the name PW Cederborgs Bokhandel. That name was retained when M W Wallbergs Bokhandel in Norrköping acquired the shop in 1876. From 1883 it was run for seven years by Pehr Ludvig Bundy, followed by E K Kastensson. Mary and Georg Kalén then ran the bookshop for forty years. In 1956 Inga-May and Gunnar Quist took over, running it until 1993. Carina Löfving Lundin and Torgny Lundin followed from 1993 to 2002, then Anna Schönbeck from 2002 to 2008, and Lena and Bror-Inge Tyllander from 2008 to 2013. Since December 2013 the bookshop has been run by Anders Karlin and Louise Malmström, a former member of the Riksdag for the Social Democrats. Karlin has received awards for his bookselling work, including the Stora Anita Linde Prize and the Söderköping Culture Prize. Under their ownership the shop has expanded with an antiquarian book section, which accounts for about one fifth of the business. They also discontinued office and gift items to focus solely on books. The shop hosts a programme of events and has a strong interest in children's and young adult literature, aiming to serve cultural and literary needs in a unique environment.

Söderköpings Bokhandel is a bookshop in Söderköping, Sweden, often described as the oldest still-existing bookshop in the country, with its founding date usually given as 1815. It is located at Storgatan 7 in Söderköping. The business began in the early 19th century when Sven Matthias Theodor Cederborg, then mayor and postmaster of Söderköping, started selling books from his stationery shop on Storgatan. In its early years the bookshop was also connected to a printing press. The exact date or year he began selling books is uncertain, but the house in which he initially sold them was built by him in 1815. Local historian Ola Lönnqvist has argued that Cederborg may have sold books as early as 1812, though the current building was not erected until 1830, even if the earlier bookshop stood at the same address. The precise origin of the bookshop is therefore a matter of definition. The shop has passed through many hands over two centuries. Cederborg's son Philip Wilhelm Cederborg, also a postmaster, took over and ran it for nearly 30 years under the name PW Cederborgs Bokhandel. That name was retained when M W Wallbergs Bokhandel in Norrköping acquired the shop in 1876. From 1883 it was run for seven years by Pehr Ludvig Bundy, followed by E K Kastensson. Mary and Georg Kalén then ran the bookshop for forty years. In 1956 Inga-May and Gunnar Quist took over, running it until 1993. Carina Löfving Lundin and Torgny Lundin followed from 1993 to 2002, then Anna Schönbeck from 2002 to 2008, and Lena and Bror-Inge Tyllander from 2008 to 2013. Since December 2013 the bookshop has been run by Anders Karlin and Louise Malmström, a former member of the Riksdag for the Social Democrats. Karlin has received awards for his bookselling work, including the Stora Anita Linde Prize and the Söderköping Culture Prize. Under their ownership the shop has expanded with an antiquarian book section, which accounts for about one fifth of the business. They also discontinued office and gift items to focus solely on books. The shop hosts a programme of events and has a strong interest in children's and young adult literature, aiming to serve cultural and literary needs in a unique environment.

• 2013

  Anders Karlin and Louise Malmström become owners in December; they add an antiquarian section and discontinue office and gift items.

• 2008

  Lena and Bror-Inge Tyllander take over until 2013.

• 2002

  Anna Schönbeck runs the bookshop until 2008.

• 1993

  Carina Löfving Lundin and Torgny Lundin become owners until 2002.

• 1956

  Inga-May and Gunnar Quist take over, running the shop until 1993.

• 1916

  Mary and Georg Kalén begin running the bookshop for forty years.

• 1890

  Erik Kasten Kastensson becomes bookseller.

• 1883

  Pehr Ludvig Bundy takes over the bookshop for seven years.

• 1876

  M W Wallbergs Bokhandel in Norrköping acquires the shop; the name PW Cederborgs Bokhandel is retained.

• 1848

  Philip Wilhelm Cederborg takes over the bookshop, running it for nearly 30 years as PW Cederborgs Bokhandel.

• 1815

  Sven Matthias Theodor Cederborg builds the house at Storgatan where he sells books; founding date usually given as 1815.

Sweden's oldest bookshop, focused on books and cultural events in a historic setting.

• Books

  General book selection.

• Children's and young adult literature

  A strong focus area of the shop.

• Antiquarian books

  Added under current owners, about one fifth of the business.

1. 1Söderköpings Bokhandel official websitesoderkopingsbokhandel.se
2. 2Söderköpings bokhandel - Wikipediasv.wikipedia.org
3. 3Söderköpings Bokhandel - Wikidatawikidata.org