BERLIN, April 23 (Xinhua) -- As artificial intelligence (AI) and digital platforms reshape reading habits, bookstores in Germany are adapting by offering curated experiences and building communities to stay relevant.
Reading remains one of the most popular leisure activities in the country, but competition from digital media continues to grow. Physical bookstores are responding by combining retail with cultural events and personalized services, according to Thomas Koch, spokesperson of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association.
LATE-NIGHT BOOKSTORE
Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus, the largest bookstore in Berlin that opened in 1997, is now designed as a cultural space rather than a conventional bookstore.
It offers books alongside music, film, stationery, souvenirs, and cultural events under one roof, attracting visitors with a broad cultural experience.
"Our English Bookshop is the largest English-speaking bookshop in Europe outside Great Britain," said Andrea Ludorf, the managing director of Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus. "Our sheet music section and Sphinx sculpture have become must-sees for first-time visitors."
The store hosts more than 300 events and readings each year, ranging from readings to discussions on social and cultural topics.
Famously, in November 2024, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel had a signing event for her newly-published memoir at Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus.
"Angela Merkel has known us for years as one of the best bookshops and cultural places in the world," Ludorf said, when asked why she chose Dussmann.
Recognized as a cultural institution, it stays open until midnight, welcoming visitors after theatre and opera performances. "Many guests come in the evening to enjoy a quieter atmosphere," Ludorf said.
The store offers around 1 million products across a retail space of about 7,500 square meters, while its online platform lists roughly 15 million items.
In 2024, the store recorded revenue of 45 million euros (52 million U.S. dollars), its best financial year to date.
NICHE STORES BUILD COMMUNITIES
Smaller bookstores are also finding ways to compete by focusing on specialization and community.
Otherland, a sci-fi bookstore near the former Tempelhof Airport, carries around 11,000 titles within less than 100 square meters, specializing in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in German and English.
"Otherland is independent on every level. We decide which books to shelf," said Wolfgang Tress, one of its three owners.
Staff members read extensively and offer tailored recommendations based on customers' interests.
"Everybody who works here loves the genre ... we are very passionate about it," said Tress.
The bookstore has built a loyal community called "Otherlanders" and hosts events such as readings and role-playing games. In 2025, it organized 52 events, all free of charge, though this is financially challenging for Tress and his co-owners.
"Our community is really what keeps us alive," Tress said. "They appreciate what we are doing and want to be part of it."
READING TREND SHIFT
Koch said that the number of readers in Germany has remained largely stable in recent years, although the number of buyers has declined overall. Younger readers, however, are an exception.
Among those aged 16 to 19, book purchases rose by 9.6 percent in 2024, and by 7.7 percent among those aged 20 to 29, according to industry data.
Social media is playing an increasingly important role. In 2025, more than 50 million books recommended by TikTok's #BookTok community were sold across Europe, generating about 800 million euros (936 million dollars) in revenue, according to NielsenIQ BookData and Media Control.
Germany accounted for the largest share, with more than 28 million books recommended on TikTok sold. In comparison, there were 12 million books sold in 2023.
While #BookTok has sparked a reading renaissance among younger audiences, traditional bookstores face challenges and disruptions from the AI boom.
"AI is an important topic for the book industry, and one that our members are closely engaged with," Koch said. It can improve efficiency, but it also raises questions about transparency, usage rights, and accountability, he added.
He called on policymakers to enforce fair rules for big tech companies, ensuring AI benefits people and society.
"Tress said AI is already influencing how stories are created and consumed, blurring the line between fiction and reality.
However, he believes technological shifts tend to stabilize over time.
"It's about whether we can get through this wave of AI-generated content," he said. "People will still want real stories from real people."
