A Second Libreria Marco Polo Sets Sail in Campo Santa Margherita

A view of the store, with the Scuola Grande dei Carmini at right

After 13 years of doing business just behind the pretty little church of San Giovanni Grisostomo, a short distance from the Rialto Bridge, Libreria Marco Polo inaugurated a second store last night, just opposite the Scuola Grande dei Carmini, and the turnout of supporters (as you can see in the images above and below) was impressive.

While the store behind San Giovanni has a large selection of used books in English, the new store looks to focus more on new books in Italian, including a good selection of children's books. The new space is beautiful, with mullioned windows, brick walls, a beam ceiling, and a raised floor that will keep the shelves well above the aqua alta that sometimes enters into the other location and necessitates the use of a pump.

Formerly an antique shop, and before that, a small neighborhood grocery, the space was in such good shape, according to Claudio Moretti, its proprietor, that he was able to sign a lease on the space on 4 September and have it ready to open last night, the 26th.

With its series of author appearances and discussions, various courses, and community-oriented events, Libreria Marco Polo plays an important role in the cultural, grassroots life of Venice and, as the turnout last night indicated, residents are enthused about the possibility of that role expanding. For anyone interested in a glimpse into local life, beyond the tourist trade--and in concretely supporting that life--either of the two stores is a good place to start.

For information on the two stores and upcoming events, visit their website: http://www.libreriamarcopolo.com or Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/libreria.marcopolo.bookstore?fref=ts.

For a previous post on the original Libreria Marco Polo and its importance in the community, as well as a number of photos of its interior, see: http://veneziablog.blogspot.it/2013/11/evviva-libreria-marco-polo.html

One of the store's three rooms

The crowd overflowed onto either side of the corner store