Part of the well-known El Ateneo chain of shops, El Ateneo Grand Splendid is on the list of most visited bookstores in the world. Housed in a historic theater, this bookstore attracts just as many photographers as it does readers, and inspires a few thoughts about the reuse of architecture in a city...
I spent a pleasant afternoon here, leafing through design books and sipping coffee from the stage, looking out at the books as if they were anticipating my next monologue. Luckily for everyone, they just listen quietly and don't expect much entertainment from the stage (I'm a horrible actor).
A tourist attraction to be sure, over 1 million people visit the shop annually. The stats got me thinking about the reuse of buildings. In the U.S. there are many abandoned theaters from town to town that could use a new life. Is the combination of a commercial use/tourist attraction the answer? Back home, bookshops are having a hard time keeping the doors open, but perhaps other types of stores could make ends meet and help preserve our architectural gems.
(Images: Smith Schwartz)
5 Online Services to Save Yourself a Trip to IKEA
Nikki’s Sweet and Cheery Print Studio
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Sprout Side Table
5 Things Paris Taught Me About Travel
Recipe: Ham, Cheddar & Chive Egg Bakes
There was a place like this, much less grand of course, in Houston many years ago. Theater turned book shop, I love that combination.
My city, yeah! Just beautiful, 5 blocks from work.
Barnes and Noble Bookstore at Inner Harbor in Baltimore is housed in the Pratt Street Power Plant, built between 1900 and 1909 and is a massive industrial structure with Neo-Classical detailing designed by the noted architectural firm of Baldwin & Pennington. It served as the main source of power for the United Railways and Electric Company, a consolidation of smaller street railway systems, that influenced the provision of city-wide transportation and opened up suburban areas of Baltimore to power its electric street railway in the city.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratt_Street_Power_Plant
http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/store/2881
I particularly like the walk-through copper smoke stacks.
I've been here! It's wonderful Thanks for sharing it.
this is amazing! love the pictures - this place is now on my bucket list. thanks for sharing.
CHAD W, that Barnes and Noble in Baltimore is my favorite in the chain. :-)
The Bookstar in Memphis was another theater-turned-bookstore, but it closed last year. Not sure what's in the space now or if it's empty.
It makes a very good-looking bookshop and it's preferable to seeing a beautiful building reduced to rubble. But isn't it a shame that it's not a theatre any more? If we turn every space into a place to buy things, we'll all be much the poorer for it (and I don't just mean money-wise). A friend who plays in the orchestra at the Teatro Colon - one of the world's great opera houses, also in Buenos Aires - told me that there were plans to turn that into a shopping mall too. All the musicians, technicians, designers, stewards, etc would be made redundant. In a place where people are now immersed in some of the great works of art, there would instead be yet more shops pushing stuff nobody needs. It's a worrying trend.
I try to go to this bookstore every time I can and have a nice cup of coffee there with live music being played by some musician in there :) I read some time ago it was chosen as the second most beautiful bookstore in the world, and it certainly is!
I was just in here last week! Completely fell in love with it :)