Brussels bookstore Filigranes has unveiled an online store and initiated a marketing campaign to re-engage its readership.
In addition, the management confirmed a forthcoming relocation of the shop on Arts Avenue, Etterbeek to a new spot in the capital.
"Come back, Brussels needs Filigranes and Filigranes needs you," is the call-to-action from the Brussels bookstore, confronting the challenges of two restructuring plans within the past year and a half.
General Manager Véronique Croisé told Belga that Filigranes is actively tackling issues exacerbated by inflation and the reading market crisis.
"We are having productive conversations with our suppliers and are relentless in our efforts to secure the future of an institution more than 40 years old," she articulates.
"Significant changes" to the management and financial stewardship of the company have been implemented in recent months. This followed a harassment complaint against bookstore founder Marc Filipson by 48 employees, which resulted in Filipson stepping aside to oversee editorial policy whilst the store was restructured on a smaller footprint.
Alongside issues linked to the book market, the company cites mobility as an added hurdle. "Changes in mobility around our store have complicated access," says Véronique Croisé.
"We’re considering moving our main store between January 2025 and March 2026. The new location within the capital is yet to be determined, but we’ll remain within the same perimeter to be more accessible," asserts the general manager.
In 2022, Marc Filipson, founder and CEO stepped p aside from his position following a harassment complaint lodged against him by his current employees.
