Symbolic Istanbul bookstore closes its doors

ISTANBUL

Denizler Kitabevi, one of the last-standing symbolic bookstores of Istanbul’s Istiklal Avenue, has decided to close its doors for financial reasons, paving the way for a fast-food hub to establish in its place.

The iconic bookstore has been selling bestsellers and a range of books from many different genres to Istanbul residents for a long time, but it had won the hearts of bookworms by hosting books from special collections.

Established in 1993 in the Beyoğlu district, the bookstore, which also has been offering its wide collection of rare books, old maps, engravings, and calligraphy, will move to a new place in the Kuledibi neighbor-hood due to the financial problems it has experienced during the pandemic.

The decision to close the bookstore was among one of the most discussed topics on social media on Sept. 30.

“It was a living and breathing memory. Even the stairs to the upper floor, where book and ephemera en-thusiasts had pleasant conversations, were history,” said a social media user.

Several places that have an important place in Istanbul’s memory of the city have either been closed or moved to new places due to financial reasons in the last 10 years.

The breaking point began when İnci Patisserie, which was founded in 1944 and influenced by European cuisine of the late 19th century, moved to its new location on Mis Street in 2012 to serve its world-famous profiteroles.

Cafes, saloons, shopping venues and stages representing Beyoğlu’s multicultural texture closed their doors over the past years.

With the economic problems that emerged due the COVID-19 pandemic and protective measures against the virus, Demir Cafe, which had been serving for 45 years on Istiklal Avenue, and Anahit Sahne on Mis Street in the last year, bid farewell to Beyoğlu.