Mondadori Bookstore | MA opens in Naples, at the monumental Galleria Umberto I.

The bookshop overlooks Teatro Salone Margherita, the historic café-chantant, the highest expression of the Neapolitan Belle Époque, in the San Ferdinando district, in the heart of Naples. Featuring furnishings, which harmonise with the Art Nouveau atmosphere of the venue, the bookshop tunes into the period architectural traits, combining them with the corporate philosophy of MA (間): environmentally friendly, smart and young. The Japanese philosophical concept can be interpreted as an interval, a pause and an “indefinite space between heaven and earth where man can rest, free the mind and nourish his soul”, says Antonio Serpe, Chief Retail Officer of Mondadori Bookstore | MA Italy. “A time to stop the hectic pace of everyday life, devote oneself to reading, and tune into nature, thus defining an entirely innovative way of understanding, promoting and making culture,” concludes Serpe.

“As Mondadori Retail, we are proud to cooperate in this initiative. The strength of the MA format is based on the conviction that investing in cultural projects capable of adapting to both present and future challenges, fully respecting people and their work, will contribute to the evolution of even consolidated business models,” says Carmine Perna, CEO of Mondadori Retail. “From the outset, Mondadori Retail shared the vision and objectives of creating a cultural and experiential hub at the service of the community. The intention was to make it a venue for the promotion of reading, entertainment, environmental sustainability and culture in its broadest sense,” concludes Perna.

The Mondadori Bookstore | MA is a fusion concept inspired by Japanese culture and translated from simple ideas into concrete projects by the firm Ricciardi Architetti, in partnership with architect Selene Amico. Tall furniture echoing the natural line of tree trunks creates a gallery that envelops visitors, inviting them to breathe in culture and make it their own, both stimulating and satisfying their curiosity. Combined with bonsai trees and sansevierias – not a random choice, as they purify the air from benzene -, everything in the bookshop recalls nature and environmental sustainability, from lamps to design accessories, from architectural choices to the quality of materials – marine poplar wood and recycled iron -, skilfully processed by master carpenters and  Coppola‘s historical partners. Moreover, ecological water paints, used for walls, can reduce the amount of free formaldehyde in the environment by 80%, while floating floors diminish environmental impact concerning the installation of all systems.

“The Galleria project is the highest expression of our philosophy of placing culture and art, in all forms of expression, at the centre of nature, to bring nature as close as possible to people, especially young people. The aim is to offer a deep emotional experience, leaving everybody free to define their own cultural paths and choices, but also to rely on and be advised by our trained staff of booksellers. Naples is the ideal city for this ambitious project as Neapolitans are passionate readers. Hence, we have invested around 1.9 million euro, and created 18 new job openings. The new location will also house a 300 sq.mt. office area for Mondadori Bookstore | MA offices,” says Serpe.

“The one in Naples (Italy’s flagship store) is our twelfth store. It will soon be followed by two new branches in Pavia, precisely one in the heart of the city in Via Cavour, and the other in the province. Thus, we continue our commitment to open bookshops not only in big cities, but also in the suburbs, to enable young people to get closer to reading, thus promoting a better future for them,” says Nello Nunziata, Head of the Store Development Division.

Mondadori Bookstore | MA in Naples covers a surface area of 1,000 sq.mt, with an offer of 148,000 books spanning great classics and best sellers – including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous. The We are Junior area includes children’s books, educational games, and illustrated fairy tales to stimulate the imagination of kids. Finally, the innovative section Just Comics, centred on mangas and comics, summons Generation Z. There is also an area dedicated to music and  cinema, with a wide selection of CDs, vinyl records and DVDs. The venue also presents a book buvette area, a free coworking hub, reading space reserved for reading and study, a space for wine tastings, and an exclusive area for events, designed to host some of the leading figures in the local, national and international art scene. Two large touch screen totems allow social interaction, while click & collect, and self checkouts allow customers to buy online on the bookshop’s website and collect in store. Trovalibro, Book Finder, locates the desired book among those available in store, thus making the reader’s experience in the bookshop pleasant and easy.

The store also features a large photo gallery dedicated to the art and contemporary photography of young emerging talents, offering them the opportunity to display their work in the heart of the gallery from time to time. This is the case of Vittorio Cioffi, Michele De Cesare, Gerardo Massaro, Fabio Monk and Davide Orfeo, who will open the exhibition Metamorfosi napoletana.

“The new Mondadori Bookstore | MA has the ambition of becoming a cultural hub that is accessible and usable by the entire Neapolitan community. It will also propose a rich calendar of events studied to offer, from the onset, some important names from the world of culture, who will enliven our gallery,” says Nunziata. “Furthermore, through various initiatives, the bookshop is also very attentive and sensitive to contemporary social and environmental issues,” concludes Nunziata.

MONDADORI BOOKSTORE| MA expresses an innovative, environmentally friendly, young and smart bookstore concept addressing Generation Z and beyond. The philosophy is expressed through architectural choices and the materials used to create them, publishing ideas and initiatives. The environmentally sustainable cultural concept has stemmed from the entrepreneurial background of the Neapolitan-minded creators and Mondadori Retail, the company managing one of the largest bookstore networks in Italy, Mondadori Store. Present throughout Italy with      11 stores in Udine, Gravellona, Arma di Taggia, Milan, Turin, Reggio Emilia, Grosseto, Rome, Salerno, Sestu and Catania.                                                 

MONDADORI BOOKSTORE I MA
Address: Galleria Umberto I, 45/46 Naples (NA)
Opening hours: Mon–Sun 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Phone: +39081 4241243
Email: napoli@mabooks.it
IG: @choose.ma – TikTok: @mondadori_ma
https://www.mondadoristore.it/negozi

Benedetta Serpe
mondadorima.social@gmail.com
Phone: +39 333.9008660

Mondadori Group Press Office
pressoffice@mondadori.it
Tel. +39 02.75423159