The boom of cultural centers with books, coffee, and workshops

At the beginning of the 21st century , a new way to buy books , read, and enjoy them over coffee, a sandwich, a soda, or whatever began to emerge. At the same time, you can also enjoy talks , book presentations , or literary workshops of all kinds.

This is how multi-spaces or cultural centers were born , a new concept in the form of themed bookstores or cafes that bring together multiple activities: book purchases, talks, lectures, debates, presentations and book signings, story or poetry readings, and spaces for music and art exhibitions. They can be in-person or hybrid, as many activities are broadcast live on social media or via simultaneous streaming. They can even be used to celebrate birthdays, couples, divorces, or weddings.

There are many cultural powerhouses in the city, but Clarín decided to chart a course and focus on the most emblematic ones , those that set trends in a given location and continue to be a literary beacon for the general public, attendees, regulars, and also for the publishing houses that tend to present their books at these venues.

The city's quintessential cultural multi-purpose space is, without a doubt, Eterna Cadencia . The "bookstore, publishing house, blog, bar, and much more," as its Instagram handle @eternacadencia (with over 100,000 followers) indicates, was founded on December 20, 2005, at Honduras 5582, in Palermo Hollywood. This year, it's preparing to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

At that time, the area was growing, becoming a gastronomic hub , also surrounded by TV channels and production companies, but Eterna Cadencia endured over time as one of the preferred places to buy and read books – with coffee, wine or beer – and enjoy free talks and conferences in the face of the technological power of Netflix, cell phones, apps and social media.

The idea came from Pablo Braun, a bookseller and publisher and creator of the FILBA and FILBITA festivals . Last year, he launched the Eternal Festival on the terrace of Eterna Cadencia, which was a huge success. A true visionary.

“Eterna Cadencia was born with the idea of ​​not just being a bookstore, but rather a 'small literary cultural center' where, in addition to selling books, our main anchor, there would be a space. It was born with this space, beyond any aesthetic differences, with the idea of ​​having a bar, a restaurant where you can not only eat and talk about books, but also transform it and make it a place for presentations, meetings, etc.,” said its creator.

Eterna Cadencia covers over 200 square meters, encompassing the bookstore (120 m2) and the bar (100 m2). The offices are located on the first floor, and above that, the terrace can accommodate 80–100 people for festivals in the summer. Downstairs is the lounge, which comfortably seats about 30 people, reading and browsing all kinds of books, both domestic and imported. By far, the most popular books are those on Argentine literature.

In addition, Eterna Cadencia has its own publishing label with more than 250 published titles that can be purchased there.

Adjacent to the lounge is the patio where the famous bar is located. It hosts talks, conferences, seminars, and private book presentations or those of the bookstore-publisher itself. It seats 25–30 people seated and another 20 standing.

Eterna Cadencia is a reference point for 21st-century literature. None other than South African-born Australian writer John Coetzee , winner of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature, was there, reading with Paul Auster in the front row. “It was an intimate reading: he had come to FILBA, and we did a private reading here. There were about 50 of us,” Braun recalled.

Richard Ford also stopped by after being invited to FILBA, and Chilean President Gabriel Boric , who took home a stack of books after his first presidential visit to Argentina.

“Boric is a bookworm. He knows a lot, he's a little bookworm. You'd talk to him and the guy would be shaking, searching for books. He took a bunch. In fact, he asked us not to give him discounts. A really nice and approachable guy. I hadn't met him until now. He had only recently taken over,” Pablo Braun recalled.

The venue offers literary activities two or three times a week , mainly on Mondays and Wednesdays; some are free, while others have a fee. Information and subscriptions can be found on Eterna Cadencia's Instagram page or on "X," which has 80,000 followers. They also have a website, blog, and newsletter.

What sets Eterna Cadencia apart from the rest? “ Everything depends on the curation . We give more attention to the talks than to the book presentations. That's why I try to create our own agenda with talks and activities so that there's always something that makes you say, 'Hey, I'm kind of bored. What if we go to Eterna?' It's all on the website and the blog,” Braun summarized.

A man kindly opens the giant door at Nicaragua 4899, Thames corner, in Palermo Soho, and says, “Welcome Dain.”

The place is captivating from the inside: over 200 square meters spread over two and a half floors . Downstairs—and also on the mezzanine—there are around 20,000 books to discover, read, and buy (poetry books are the best-sellers). Many copies belong to small publishers or those that aren't widely distributed.

To one side, there is another charming room where courses, workshops, conferences of all kinds are held , and of course, book presentations with a mini stage in the background, suitable for 70 people to be comfortably seated.

Upstairs is the terrace, ideal for enjoying coffee or dining outdoors surrounded by trees , or for hosting events during the spring or summer. Below are men's and women's restrooms and a space for disabled access, including an elevator. Art exhibitions are also held monthly.

This is "Dain, a cultural powerhouse," according to Endy Dain, owner of this elegant venue. The name of this multi-cultural space is her surname of German origin, a tribute to her parents, who instilled in her the habit of reading "without TV" at home.

“I named him after my parents, who were avid readers, especially my mother, who could read five languages ​​simultaneously,” Endy told Clarín.

Endy's real name is Andrea, but her Viennese mother used to mispronounce her initial "A" as "E." "I have a degree in Philosophy and Literature with a degree in History and I'm also an English translator. I've always been around books. All my life I've said: one day I'm going to have a very special bookstore ."

Her dream came true when she purchased this beautiful mansion located on the corner of Nicaragua and Thames Streets in 2009. After 18 months of renovations, Dain finally opened its doors in April 2011, 14 years ago. “I always wanted to have something very different from the typical concept of a bookstore, so we transformed this house, which dates back to 1938, into what it is today.”

Endy defines Dain as "a bookstore with lots of art, coffee, something sweet , a sandwich, and, above all, great service. Everything I envisioned has been here since day one," he said.

In these 14 years, Dain has become a reference point for a dedicated audience with a good taste in reading, as well as in the cultural and literary sphere , as many publishing houses often rent the space for launches and presentations. You can participate in person or live via @dainusinacultural on Instagram, which has 20,000 followers. It also has Facebook, X, and LinkedIn as communication channels on social media.

Dain offers courses in philosophy, literature, and creative writing, as well as lectures , most of which are fee-based, with in-person or online registration. The venue has also been used for weddings and birthday parties, and for the past three years has had its own publishing label of the same name, with 17 titles published.

Liliana Heker, the Nicaraguan Gioconda Belli, and Guillermo Martínez , who inaugurated the book presentation cycle, passed through here, to name a few writers.

According to Endy, Dain has four things that set it apart from other bookstores or cultural centers: “ efficiency, friendliness, the care we take toward the people who come here, and the positive atmosphere we create. This is a great credit to Marisa Barrosi, our General Manager.”

At Costa Rica 4568, right in front of Plaza Armenia, is the Fondo Bookstore and Cultural Center , also in Palermo Soho.

Opened in 2016, "The Bookstore That Never Sleeps" is open 362 days a year . It features a space with more than 70,000 titles, two cafes (one at the front and the other at the back), a garden, and more than 300 seasonal activities, including workshops, book presentations, and lectures.

Most courses and workshops are held on the second floor, as it has two auditoriums with capacity for around 80 people (50 of them seated) for simultaneous activities. There's also another room for workshops. Meanwhile, the publishing house's offices are located on the third and fourth floors. An all-inclusive experience in one place.

Only this place is closed three days a year: May 1, December 25, and January 1.

What sets you apart from other themed bookstores? “ I don't know of any other bookstore that has an activity every day. Ours usually run from Monday to Friday. Saturdays and Sundays aren't as busy because so many people come to the bookstore. If we have more activities, things get pretty out of control,” commented Cecilia Di Genaro , in charge of Cultural Management at the Librería del Fondo and Cultural Center.

As for workshops, the audience is very diverse : it ranges from 20 to 80 in the case of the annual workshop taught by Fabián Casas, held on Mondays and Wednesdays of each week. There is also another annual workshop led by Fernanda Nicolini (author of the biography of Héctor Oesterheld), who teaches an autobiography workshop on Mondays.

Some of the "illustrious" workshop facilitators were Gabriela Cabezón Cámara and Alicia Genovese with their poetry workshop, as well as a special series on Foucault and another workshop on the 40 years of democracy, to name a few.

Poetry is a highly sought-after genre among young readers , both for purchasing books and for participating in courses, workshops, and other events. Recently, the space exploded with the presentation of Diana Bellessi's latest poetry book, published by Fondo de Cultura Económica. "She looked like Mick Jagger," said Di Genaro.

Talks, workshops, and book presentations are typically held from 6:00 PM onward , lasting between an hour and an hour and a half. "The idea is to stay a little longer, have people buy books, continue the talk, and have the author sign theirs," explained the cultural center's representatives.

There are also workshops on stories, comics, and books for the little ones ; the latter is held on the ground floor in the children's book section, so parents can continue browsing and purchase books alone or with their children. During the winter break, there will be a program specially designed for the little ones, according to the bookstore.

There are events every day at the "Librería del Fondo." " This isn't typical of other bookstores of this style. Sometimes there are three activities: a workshop, a presentation, or a Mexican music recital downstairs," Di Genaro explained.

The place is also a “magnet” for architecture students since this building with a “sausage-like” background was the last work designed by Clorindo Testa (1923–2013).

"That's also attractive because it's the last work the architect designed during his lifetime . In fact, many architecture students often come with their professors, sit at the tables, use the computer to make plans, draw the façade, or whatever," Di Genero explained.

The Fondo de Cultura Económica is an institution of the Mexican state . "We are a subsidiary; we work closely with Mexico, like any subsidiary. We have a relationship with the Mexican state, which is why we carry out activities with the embassy."

For example, the Day of the Dead is celebrated every year and is part of Mexican culture, and there's no room for a pin in this space. "There's an altar, people come and take photos. Ambassador Lilia Eugenia Rossbach Suárez also comes. We also have literary contests from the Fondo de Cultura Económica," the cultural manager of the venue added.

"The idea is that those who don't know it will like it, that they'll stay, and that they'll come back later. There are people who are regulars at the place and come to any book presentation or talk. We like that: there are people who have this place around and they like to come," Di Genaro concluded.

For a year now, Villa Ortúzar has offered a new cultural, culinary, and literary center in the city: Naesqui , the "editor's toy store." This is how Nacho Iraola , one of the owners of this beautiful white house located on the corner of Charlone 1400 and 14 de Julio Streets, described it. From its large windows, it offers an intimate view that exudes peace, the future, and also a certain nostalgia, diagonally across from 25 de Agosto Square.

After 16 years, Iraola left the management of Editorial Planeta to dedicate himself to this ambitious venture. With his friend and lawyer Pablo Slonimsqui , they purchased this abandoned property, resolved a complex legal situation, and then renovated it. Paula Salischiker and Alan Kritzer later joined as partners .

“ Every time I came home, I saw this house . It's an iconic building across from a park. I always envied the more Madrid-like atmosphere, where people drink in parks, where Retiro has bars, and you can't do that here,” said Iraola, also a resident of the neighborhood, who lives just six blocks from his “toy store.”

Naesqui was founded on June 11, 2024. The place was born from the influence of Fernando Pérez Morales (owner of Notanpuan, the former San Isidro Book Boutique) when, in the 1990s, he invited a writer to the place every Thursday; and also from Iraola's admiration for the excellent work of his friend Pablo Braun, owner of Eterna Cadencia.

" It's our cultural space. It includes a café, a bookstore, and a space for workshops, talks, and seminars," Iraloa said. Since then, it has continued to grow.

Its name seems obvious: it sounds like a rioba, like lunfardo. It's the "esquina" (corner) on the reverse side , but in a way, it's a combination of "Nacho and Slonimsqui." "The name Naesqui made us feel right," said one of its owners.

Iraola's eyes light up when he talks about Naesqui. "I always imagined Planeta's departure as a project with books, but not purely and exclusively a bookstore. I imagined it as a space with books, for events and presentations. I talked about putting a flying saucer in this neighborhood. That's when the space upstairs emerged as a place for seminars, workshops, and book presentations," he revealed.

This space in Villa Ortúzar covers nearly 200 square meters , including the ground and first floors, where workshops, talks, and seminars are held, not including the terrace, which is not yet available. Downstairs is the bookstore (also on the mezzanine) next to the cafeteria, which offers lunch, snacks, and takeaway options.

Renowned contemporary journalists and writers gave talks, workshops, and seminars there. Pedro Saborido and Miguel Rep inaugurated the place; the latter painted the façade with angels. Also present were Tamara Tenenbaum, Jorge Consiglio, María O'Donnell, Julieta Escardó (photography), and Camila Fabbri , to name a few. Meanwhile, Felipe Pigna , also a resident of Ortúzar, is giving a workshop on Argentine history with a focus on the 1960s.

Naesqui offers all kinds of paid workshops. Iraola and Salischiker curate the workshops. They're also organizing workshops for children during winter break. You can view and register for them at the link on their Instagram account @naesqui.librosycafe, which has nearly 30,000 followers. Memberships, discounts, and a newsletter with 7,000 subscribers are also available.

What makes Naesqui different? The cultural management, the professionalism of its members, and the quality of the workshop leaders. "It's not a hippie," emphasizes Nacho Iraola.

According to its owners, more than 15,000 people have visited Naesqui , and it has become a new cultural and literary hub that transcends the neighborhood. There are also free exhibitions, concerts at the door (Richard Coleman played), and "Naesqui Charlones," with more than 150 people. All in just one year.

The store has 5,000 books of all genres , at bookstore prices. The best-sellers are fiction, mostly written by women. Those by Magalí Etchebarne, Mariana Enríquez, and Samanta Schweblin were the top sellers. El Eternauta, and books by Rolón, Sacheri, and Claudia Piñeiro also sell very well.