Schoenhof's Foreign Books
An American specialty bookseller focused on foreign-language books and language-learning materials.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Schoenhof's Foreign Books is a specialist bookseller associated with Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the Harvard Square area. Established in Boston in 1856, it developed a reputation for selling books in languages other than English and for serving language students, educators, multilingual readers, academic institutions, and families seeking children's literature in various languages. The business has described itself as the oldest foreign-language book dealer in the United States and as having one of the largest selections of foreign-language books in North America; these are company or reference descriptions rather than independently verified rankings. The store's historical identity was rooted in physical retail. Its Cambridge location operated as a brick-and-mortar specialty bookstore near Harvard Square and became a recognizable resource for customers looking for imported and hard-to-find titles. The assortment covered both educational and general-interest publishing. Language-learning materials formed a major part of the offer, with the learning section representing more than 700 languages and dialects according to reference material. The broader catalog included literature and nonfiction in French, Spanish, German, Russian, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Latin, and biblical studies. Children's books were available in a range of Romance, Germanic, Slavic, and Celtic languages. The business has also reflected the history of migration and international publishing in the United States. During the 1970s, the Cambridge store was operated by Mr. and Mrs. Furatini, refugees of the Second World War, alongside at least one Holocaust survivor, Mr. Evers. The available reference material does not establish the precise roles or dates of each individual beyond that period, but their association with the store forms part of its documented local history. Ownership changed in 2005, when MEP, Inc., an importer and wholesaler of foreign-language books, acquired Schoenhof's from Éditions Gallimard. MEP initially considered renaming its existing Europa Books retail store in Chicago as Schoenhof's, but that rebranding did not occur. The acquisition connected the Cambridge bookseller with a larger foreign-language book-importing and distribution operation while preserving the Schoenhof's name. Schoenhof's physical retail storefront closed on March 25, 2017. The closure marked the end of the Cambridge shop as a walk-in retail location, but not the end of the brand's commercial activity. The business continues through its website, where its specialty catalog and foreign-language focus remain central. Its current public-facing model is therefore best understood as an online continuation of a historically important specialist bookstore rather than as an operating Cambridge storefront.
History
Schoenhof's Foreign Books traces its origins to Boston in 1856. It became known as a specialist bookseller devoted to foreign-language publishing, later operating a physical shop in Cambridge near Harvard Square. The business occupied a distinctive position in the American book trade: unlike a general bookstore, it concentrated on books imported from or published for linguistic markets outside the English-language mainstream. Its historical assortment combined practical language-learning resources with literary, scholarly, and children's titles. Reference descriptions state that the learning section represented more than 700 languages and dialects. The literature and nonfiction catalog included French, Spanish, German, Russian, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Latin, and biblical studies. Children's offerings extended across several major European language families, including Romance, Germanic, Slavic, and Celtic languages. This breadth made the store relevant to university communities, language departments, schools, translators, immigrant families, diplomats, travelers, and multilingual households. The store's twentieth-century history also included people displaced by war. During the 1970s, Mr. and Mrs. Furatini, refugees of the Second World War, owned and operated the business. Reference material also identifies Mr. Evers, at least one Holocaust survivor in Europe, as associated with the store during that period. The available sources do not provide a complete ownership chronology or detailed biographies for these individuals, so their roles should be treated as documented historical associations rather than a fully reconstructed management record. In 2005, MEP, Inc. acquired Schoenhof's from Éditions Gallimard. MEP was an importer and wholesaler of foreign-language books. The transaction placed the established retail name within a company already active in international book distribution. MEP initially planned, or at least considered, renaming its Europa Books retail operation in Chicago as Schoenhof's, but the Chicago store retained its existing name. For much of its later history, Schoenhof's remained identified with its Cambridge storefront. The physical shop closed on March 25, 2017, ending the brand's traditional walk-in retail presence. The closure did not terminate the business: Schoenhof's continued through its website. Its current identity is therefore a digital and catalog-based continuation of a specialist bookseller whose heritage is tied to Cambridge, foreign-language publishing, and the distribution of books for readers working across linguistic boundaries.
- 2017
Cambridge storefront closed
[1]The physical retail location closed on March 25, 2017, while the business continued through its website.
- 2005
Acquired by MEP, Inc.
[1]MEP, Inc., an importer and wholesaler of foreign-language books, bought Schoenhof's from Éditions Gallimard.
- 1970
Furatini family associated with the store
[1]During the 1970s, Mr. and Mrs. Furatini, refugees of the Second World War, owned and operated the store. Mr. Evers, identified in the reference as a Holocaust survivor, was also associated with the business.
- 1856
Business founded in Boston
[1]Schoenhof's Foreign Books traces its establishment to Boston in 1856 and developed as a specialist dealer in foreign-language books.
Products and positioning
A specialist foreign-language bookseller serving multilingual readers, language learners, educators, institutions, and collectors through an online catalog rooted in a long-running Cambridge bookstore tradition.
Educational books
Language-learning materials
Schoenhof's offers language-learning books and related educational materials for a very broad range of languages and dialects. Reference material describes more than 700 represented languages and dialects, making this the clearest expression of the brand's specialist role for students, teachers, institutions, and independent learners.
Books
Foreign-language literature and nonfiction
The catalog includes literary and nonfiction works in numerous languages, including French, Spanish, German, Russian, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, and Latin. It also includes material connected with biblical studies, reflecting the academic and specialist orientation of the assortment.
Children's books
Foreign-language children's books
The children's selection provides reading material in multiple European language families, including Romance, Germanic, Slavic, and Celtic languages. These books serve multilingual families, language educators, and readers seeking children's literature outside the English-language market.
Brand decisions
2017
Transition from physical retail to web salesStrategyBackground
The Cambridge storefront closed on March 25, 2017, ending the brand's walk-in retail operation.
Action taken
Schoenhof's continued to conduct business through its website rather than maintaining the former physical storefront.
Aftermath
The brand remained active as an online foreign-language bookseller, although the available reference material does not provide operating or financial details about the transition.
2005
Sale to MEP, Inc.M&ABackground
Schoenhof's was acquired from Éditions Gallimard by MEP, Inc., a company active in importing and wholesaling foreign-language books.
Action taken
MEP purchased the Schoenhof's business and retained the established brand name. It considered, but did not complete, a plan to rename its Europa Books retail store in Chicago as Schoenhof's.
Aftermath
The acquisition aligned Schoenhof's with a broader foreign-language book distribution business while leaving the Chicago Europa Books name unchanged.
Recent events
- 2017
Schoenhof's Cambridge retail storefront closed[1]
Other
The brick-and-mortar Schoenhof's location near Harvard Square closed on March 25, 2017. The business continued operating through its website.
- 2005
MEP, Inc. acquired Schoenhof's Foreign Books from Éditions Gallimard[1]
M&A
MEP, Inc., an importer and wholesaler of foreign-language books, purchased Schoenhof's from Éditions Gallimard. MEP considered applying the Schoenhof's name to its Europa Books retail store in Chicago, but that proposed renaming was not carried out.
Sources2 sources
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