In the book sector in Rome and Lazio, 450 bookshops employing over 1,500 workers in various capacities are at risk. This was made known last May by the president of Sil Confesercenti of Rome and Lazio and the national vice president, Guido Ciarla. In a sector that is in crisis, there are those who have decided not to give up and to dedicate a space of 750 m2 to books (but not only), with the aim of create culture and create a community. A challenge of no small importance, but one that Marcello Ciccaglioni, a bookseller for sixty-two years, has decided to take up and, why not, win. As? He explained it to idealist/news who met him in his Eli bookshop, in viale Somalia, 50/A, in Rome.
When was this space born and why?
“This space, which occupies 750 m2, was created six years ago. I have been here for about twenty-five years because previously this room, which is now a bookshop, was the warehouse and administration of the Arion bookshops, which were partly closed and partly sold.
So six years ago this space was freed up and I, who have always carried out this job with great passion, based on the experience gained, reflected on how I could reinvent a bookshop that could however continue to live.
In fact, we must consider that habits have changed over time and people’s relationship with books has changed, so much so that around 3,500 bookshops have closed in Italy. However, we don’t want to give in to the fact that paper books are no longer sold.”
How is this space structured?
“There is a room where we only have a thousand titles, but the thousand titles of the new books are chosen by us. The central room, however, which can hold up to 110 people, was created precisely to bring people together. Here we organize presentations, conferences, language courses, yoga courses and many other events.
Another important thing is the Art Gallery: for a year now we have hosted the Turtle Gallery, a very important art gallery which has been in Via Sistina for seventy years and which organizes exhibitions here every fortnight.
Then the oldest Roman publishing house, Palombi, resides here, which until three years ago was located in via dei Gracchi. Finally, we have a room of around 200 m2 where we host a company from Orvieto which has 150 years of history and which produces wine, because our meetings, especially the presentations, always end with a toast. Books and wines, if they are of quality, can only please everyone”.
How did we start with books and end up offering so many services?
“If over 3,000 bookshops have closed in recent years, evidently a commercial activity that is based only on the sale of books cannot make it. In Italy there are now either small bookstores managed on a personal level or editorial bookstores.
A space like this, so large, could not be filled only with books and live only on them, so we invented these situations which all support the books. This system gives us the possibility to choose the books, having financial support from all the other activities we carry out. I have always been independent, it has always been important for me to have the freedom to make choices.
I would say that this bookshop represents a cultural space, where culture is done at 360 degrees.
We also give you the opportunity to publish your own manuscript while retaining the copyright. In essence, we publish one hundred copies, we ask them to present the book to us and after sixty days if there are any copies left, they must be purchased at cost by the author, however the copyright remains with the author. the author or to the author themselves”.
One of the initiatives is entitled “Books that weigh”, what does it mean?
“The ‘Books that weigh’ initiative was born from the need to be creative. We have 20 thousand titles that are generally donated to us. Now many vintage bookstores are being created, where, however, the texts, especially if they are first editions or special editions, are starting to have rather significant costs. Instead, it seemed right to us to revive these books. ‘Books that weigh’ means that we sell these books by weight.
But I want to explain this initiative very well, because by selling these texts by the kilo it may seem that we are denigrating them. It is not so. A book can weigh up to 200 grams and be a really important book, but there must be a parameter, which in this case is 1 kilo 10 euros, but you don’t necessarily have to buy a kilo of books, you can also buy a book just from 200 grams. There is a scale, you weigh it and pay according to the weight. It’s something that’s a lot of fun and sometimes you can find first editions, very important books.”
Opening such a space, focusing on books, is a gamble nowadays. A winning bet?
“Betting to win also means being very careful. For example, we are very careful to create a welcoming environment that makes people feel at ease. In the various lounges we have within our space, people often come to sit down and meet up, and it’s something that gives us great pleasure.”
In a city like Rome, what does it mean to carry out a project of this type?
“I do not know. With this space I invented this situation. What I can say is that you can find places where you can do these things, though
what is important is that to do this job you need to have passion and self-sacrifice.
I still do it with a lot of passion. Among other things, I take it as a gift, because at my age still having the thrill of doing something new is very important. But beyond myself, there are guys here – Diego, Carlotta, Francesco – who are very good. We need to create a team capable of welcoming and making people feel good. It’s not just about locals, it’s also important to have this passion.
800 to 1,000 people generally arrive here. They all leave satisfied, or rather amazed, because going down viale Somalia a ramp that seems to lead to a warehouse, then they find a space that imitates a bookshop in the Village of New York. They find themselves in an environment that surprises everyone.”
Do you have a dream?
“Yes, I like to dream.
My dream is precisely to create a community, something unique.
The most famous bookshop in the world is Shakespeare and Company which is located in Paris and was founded in 1914. Over time it began to be frequented by figures such as Joyce and Hemingway, thus becoming legendary.
I would like to create something of this type, a space increasingly frequented by people who have the pleasure of meeting. Coming to such a place and listening to people can only enrich you.”
What has given you the most satisfaction in your professional life?
“I have been selling books for sixty-two years. For me it was an extraordinary journey. Selling books was a very important path because it made me grow. I got to know all the great characters who revolve around this world, the old publishers, from Giulio Einaudi to Bompiani.
In the 1980s I was among the fifteen most important booksellers in Italy awarded and brought to the United States to learn about the American reality. An experience that was very important for me, because there I created the premises of Arion, taking inspiration from the ‘Barnes & Noble’ bookshop chain. I can say that being a bookseller is a fantastic job.”
