Bonnier Books to Acquire Academic Bookstore

Bonnier Books has signed a deal to acquire the operations of Finnish bookstore chain Akateeminen Kirjakauppa (Academic Bookstore) from Stockmann. The deal includes six bookstores and is expected to conclude after the summer.

With the acquisition, Academic Bookstore will be a separate subsidiary of Bonnier Books, which consists of businesses within publishing, e-commerce, distribution and book clubs. 

Academic Bookstore currently has seven stores, in central Helsinki, Tapiola, Itis, Jumbo, Turku, Tampere and Oulo. Stockmann will be closing its department store in Oulu, along with the bookstore there.

“With our book publishers Tammi and WSOY and our successful establishment of Adlibris as the premier Finnish online book retailer, Finland is an important market for us in the long term,” says Jacob Dalborg, head of Bonnier Books. “We want to be a part of developing the Finnish book market. We believe in literature and Academic Bookstore, with its impressive history, is a good fit for us.”