Writers Bookstore

Writers Bookstore (Russian: Книжная лавка писателей, Knizhnaya Lavka Pisateley) is one of the oldest bookstores in Russia and a literary club in Saint Petersburg. It was established in 1934 by a decision of the First Congress of Soviet Writers, on the initiative of Maxim Gorky and Sergei Kirov. Initially located at Liteyny Prospekt 34, it moved ten years later to Nevsky Prospekt 66, where it still operates. The store is included in the 'Red Book of Petersburg' as an object that must not be renamed or repurposed, thus preserving its historical name and status as a bookstore-club. Throughout its history, the store has hosted meetings of Petersburg writers, book presentations, creative evenings, and poetry readings. Over the years, figures such as Olga Berggolts, Fyodor Abramov, Yevgeny Vinokurov, Vadim Shefner, and Yevgeny Yevtushenko have visited. The store's name reflects the history of Petersburg, as book trade in Saint Petersburg since the 18th century was conducted in bookshops (lavkas) that appeared in the Gostiny Dvor system. Its purpose was to promote Soviet literature and raise the cultural level of the population, with events promoting reading and Russian literature, meetings with authors, and creative evenings. The literature offered always included works on literary criticism and art. The store became a writers' club and quickly gained great popularity among Leningraders. During the Great Patriotic War, the store did not close for a single day. In February 1942, it fulfilled its book sales plan by 280%. In the post-war years, it became an important cultural center, with the participation of the city's creative unions. Besides performances by poets, prose writers, playwrights, critics, and translators, the store organized constantly changing exhibitions of paintings by Leningrad artists and photo exhibitions. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, sales began to fall sharply due to the development of computer technology and a declining demand for paper books. The store also lost its usual appearance, turning from a powerful cultural center into a mere bookstore. Leningrad writers were left out of the new concept, royalties were not paid, premises were used for other purposes and sublet, and the assortment deteriorated. Today, the store continues to operate at Nevsky Prospekt 66, hosting literary events and selling books, with a website offering news, promotions, and a list of authors.

The first bookshop in Saint Petersburg appeared in 1714 on Trinity Square in Gostiny Dvor, next to the first printing house. It sold calendars, alphabet books, military and naval literature—essentially what the printing house produced. This shop existed for a relatively short time. In 1813, two bookshops opened in Petersburg: one on Sadovaya Street, in the house of Colonel Balabin, belonged to Vasily Alekseevich Plavilshchikov. The second, owned by Ivan Vasilyevich Slenin, was on Nevsky Prospekt near the Kazan Bridge. This was the very beginning of the golden age of Russian literature, and regular guests at both shops were famous Petersburg literati—contemporaries of Alexander Pushkin. A special place among booksellers of that time belongs to A. F. Smirdin. According to Belinsky, he made a 'decisive revolution in Russian book trade and, consequently, in Russian literature.' In 1817, Alexander Filippovich Smirdin became a clerk in Plavilshchikov's bookshop, with whom he had a trusting friendship. In 1823, by the spiritual will of the owner, Smirdin received ownership of his bookshop and put the business on a grand scale. In 1830, he already traded in two premises—the old one, moved from Sadovaya to the Moika embankment near the Blue Bridge, and a new one on Nevsky Prospekt, in the recently built house of the Lutheran Church of Peter and Paul. In 1832, he moved all trade to Nevsky Prospekt. In Smirdin's spacious shop, numerous literary figures of Petersburg began to gather; Pushkin often visited this bookshop. Smirdin's significance is difficult to overestimate. He was one of the most significant publishers among his fellow booksellers—it was on his initiative that inexpensive and quality editions of works by Derzhavin, Batyushkov, Zhukovsky, Karamzin, Krylov, and Pushkin were published. In addition, one of the components of the shop's activity was helping needy literati, on the basis of which the Literary Fund later grew, conceived and created precisely as a Society for Aid to Needy Writers and Scientists. The Literary Fund was officially announced in 1859. Representatives of the capital's intelligentsia worked on its charter, and the charter was approved by Emperor Alexander II. The main goal of the Fund was assistance—material aid to orphaned families of literati and scientists, as well as to literati and scientists themselves who 'due to advanced age or some other circumstances are unable to support themselves by their own labors.' This Literary Fund existed until 1917. Only in 1934, on the eve of the First Congress of Soviet Writers, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR decided to create an organization under the Union of Soviet Writers aimed at 'improving cultural and everyday services and the material situation' of literary workers. This organization was called the 'Literary Fund of the USSR.' At the same time, a decision was made to establish the Writers Bookstore. The First Congress of Soviet Writers, held in 1934 in Leningrad, resolved to create the Writers Bookstore in Leningrad, which was initially located at Liteyny Prospekt, 34. Only ten years later the shop moved to Nevsky Prospekt, 66, where it remains to this day. The name of the shop reflects the history of Petersburg, since from the 18th century book trade in Saint Petersburg was conducted precisely in bookshops that appeared in the Gostiny Dvor system. Its purpose was to promote Soviet literature and raise the cultural level of the population. Events were held to promote reading and Russian literature, meetings with authors, creative evenings. The literature presented in the Shop necessarily included works on literary criticism and art. The shop became a club of writers and immediately gained great popularity among Leningraders. During the Great Patriotic War, the shop did not close for a single day. Moreover, in February 1942, the Writers Bookstore fulfilled its book sales plan by 280%. In the post-war years, the bookshop turned into an important cultural center, in whose work the city's creative unions participated. Besides performances by poets, prose writers, playwrights, critics, and translators, the Writers Bookstore organized a constantly changing exhibition of paintings by Leningrad artists and photo exhibitions. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, sales began to fall rapidly, due to both the development of computer technology and the emerging trend of decreasing demand for paper books. In addition, the shop itself lost its usual appearance, turning from a powerful cultural center into a bookstore. Leningrad writers were left out in the new concept of the shop, money from book sales was not paid to their authors, premises were used for other purposes, sublet for other purposes, and its assortment deteriorated. The building at Nevsky 66 has a 'literary' history: the plot for construction here at the end of the 18th century was received by the Russian classicist poet (and cabinet secretary of Catherine II, president of the Commerce Collegium) G. R. Derzhavin.

• 1944

  Writers Bookstore moves to Nevsky Prospekt 66.

• 1942

  During the Siege of Leningrad, the store fulfills its book sales plan by 280% in February.

• 1934

  Writers Bookstore established by decision of the First Congress of Soviet Writers; initially at Liteyny Prospekt 34.

• 1917

  Literary Fund ceases to exist.

• 1859

  Literary Fund officially announced, approved by Emperor Alexander II.

• 1832

  Smirdin moves all trade to Nevsky Prospekt.

• 1823

  Smirdin inherits Plavilshchikov's bookshop and expands the business.

• 1817

  A. F. Smirdin becomes a clerk in Plavilshchikov's bookshop.

• 1813

  Two bookshops open in Petersburg, owned by Plavilshchikov and Slenin.

• 1714

  First bookshop in Saint Petersburg opens on Trinity Square in Gostiny Dvor.

Historic literary bookstore and cultural club, protected as a landmark of Saint Petersburg.

• Books

• Literary fiction

• Classic literature

• Poetry

• Literary criticism

• Art books

1. 1Книжная Лавка Писателейlavkapisateley.spb.ru
2. 2Список авторовlavkapisateley.spb.ru
3. 3Writers Bookstore - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Книжная лавка писателей - Wikipediaru.wikipedia.org