Bremen Bookstore Prize: Buntentor wins! Festival Bremen reads begins

Bremen Bookstore Prize: Buntentor wins! Festival Bremen reads begins

Things are going well in Bremen, because the “Bremen Reads” festival has just started with 20 exciting venues! On September 2, 2025, the Bremen Bookstore Prize was awarded for the fifth time. Cultural expert and mayor Andreas Bovenschulte recognized the commitment of the award-winning bookstores and presented the main prize of 3,000 euros to the Buntentor bookstore. This has developed a fine range in Bremen Neustadt over almost ten years and is a popular destination for bookworms and literature lovers.

The jury praised the bookstore's special store design, its deep roots in the district and its commitment to promoting reading. In addition to Buntentor, the Lesumer Lesezeit bookstore, run by Svenja Esch, also received an award. They will receive a prize of 500 euros for their exemplary commitment to sustainability. The Thorban bookstore, headed by Marion Hüneke-Ohnsorge, can also look forward to a 500 euro sponsorship prize. Thorban impresses with a creative combination of book and jewelry sales.

Special features of the Bremen Bookstore Prize

The Bremen Bookstore Prize is much more than just an award: it highlights the important role of the many independent bookstores in Bremen. These businesses not only promote cultural education in the districts, but also improve the quality of life through events and collaborations. This is what bremenliest.de highlights. The selection criteria are based on the tried and tested procedures of bookstore prices in Hamburg and Lower Saxony. Interestingly, there is no formal application process. Instead, the jury creates a longlist based on precise criteria.

The members of the 2025 jury were made up of renowned representatives of the literary scene, including Dr. Alexandra Tacke, head of the literature department at the Senator for Culture, and Volker Petri, managing director of the North Regional Association of the German Book Trade Association.

Promoting culture through bookstores

The German Bookstore Prize, like the Bremen Prize, honors owner-managed bookstores that stand out through their literary selection or an appealing cultural event program. boersenblatt.net shows that innovative business models and commitment to promoting reading and literature are the focus of the awards.

Overall, the Bremen Bookstore Prize illustrates how much cultural participation and quality of life is possible through these small but fine bookstores. The support from the Senator for Culture, the German Book Trade Association North and the Bremen daily newspapers ensures the continuation of this valuable commitment to promoting reading in Bremen. What belongs together truly comes together here: reading, culture and community!