maKULaTUR Bookstore

Of all the worlds that man has created, the world of books is the most powerful.

Heinrich Heine

Boxwood carvings, late Gothic in style and palm-sized, so that nobles and wealthy citizens could carry them in their pockets. I'd never heard of them before. "Small Wonders" is the name of the catalog of these miniature works of art, lovingly printed on naturally boxwood-colored paper, through which I'm discovering the world of books, a world I thought I knew well, in a completely new way. I have an appointment at the maKULaTUR bookstore on the popular Hüxstraße . For 20 years, number 87 has been a very special address for people who love books. The clever minds behind this concept are the two owners, Birgit Böhnke and Regina Giese.

Passion between paper and art

With a floor space of only about 65 square meters, the shop is an incredible source of inspiration in the form of exquisitely arranged and conceptually presented reading material. Tables and shelves are filled with art books, monographs, specialist and non-fiction works, and literary and essayistic pieces. The core of the selection is an extensive range of books and exhibition catalogs on art, photography, architecture, design, cultural history, politics, and philosophy. In addition, there is a selection of fiction and, more recently, an increasing number of feminist works. The topics reflect the broad spectrum of current, socially relevant issues.

Two Berlin women with a desire for change

Birgit Böhnke and Regina Giese met in Berlin. Regina had studied art, Birgit literature and theater studies. They came together in the art book trade, where both held management positions – one most recently at the Neue Nationalgalerie, the other at the "Kunstwerke" bookstore on Auguststraße – until the early 2000s, when they felt the desire to completely change their circumstances. For their project of becoming self-employed, they chose northern Germany as their new home, rather than Berlin. Lübeck appealed to them not only for its unique character, but also for its contrasting qualities. Thomas Mann also played a role, as Birgit had been a fervent admirer of Mann's works, his distinctive language, and his characters in her youth.

The premises on Hüxstraße were more of a serendipitous find than love at first sight. The property was on the "right street" and affordable, even if, in its former state as a restaurant with a bar, tap, artificial grapevines, and imitation half-timbering, it wasn't exactly inviting. In just two months, thanks to intense personal effort, the building was transformed into a bookstore, a true gem. Looking back 20 years later, it seems almost miraculous that it was even possible. In any case, it's impressive proof that anything is possible when you're passionate about something.

maKULaTUR has become an institution in Lübeck, something that seems to surprise the two booksellers themselves. Numerous regular customers visit the bookstore frequently; some even come specifically from Hamburg or Hanover, simply because there isn't a bookstore like it there.

Excellent work

The outstanding work of the owners has already been recognized twice – in 2016 and 2018. In the category " Especially Outstanding Bookstores ," maKULaTUR received the second bookstore prize nationwide in 2016, an award presented by the Federal Government of Germany to independent, owner-operated bookstores.

So what is so special about it?

Birgit Böhnke and Regina Giese have a knack for seeing books in a new light. Simply because, for them, a book is never just printed paper. They look very closely, make connections, and recognize the overlaps and intersections of theses and themes from philosophy, art, and literature, which they explore. They view works and their authors within an interdisciplinary context. This aspect of their daily work is a pleasure for them, constantly sparks their curiosity, and ultimately contributes to the bookstore's success.
New connotations emerge in conversation. The exchange about a book is never a one-way street. Customers also provide inspiration with their questions, wishes, and requests. The booksellers assist in acquiring background literature and conduct their own research on various topics.

Both consider the design of a book important. Aesthetics are a major theme, but it's not about whether a cover looks appealing or displays well. It's about the sophisticated relationship between the content and the visual appearance.

So many books – so little time

Their days would ideally need 48 hours so that, in addition to working in the bookstore, handling correspondence, reviewing the catalogs of hundreds of publishers, doing the bookkeeping, and implementing new ideas for redesigning the shop, there would be time for the many books they themselves would still like to read, for writing, for quiet reflection, and for immersing themselves in new worlds of thought. And more time for events—that's another topic: author readings, book displays, and panel discussions. They both find it sometimes painful that some ideas have to remain just ideas if they want to be fully committed to something. It's fortunate that they live above the bookstore with their two cats and are always close to their books. How wonderful it must be to be able to just pop downstairs and grab a book from the shelf that they were just discussing upstairs over a cup of tea.

https://www.makulatur.com/neuerscheinungen.html