4.5
History 
Schedule 
Bookstores 
Booksellers of Lleida since 1914
Llibreria i Papereria Caselles
The origins of Librería Papelería Caselles date back to 1914, when Bonaventura Caselles opened a small kiosk located at Arc del Pont.
The kiosk later moved to Plaza Sant Francesc and, subsequently, to the arcades of Plaza Paeria. It was a family business right in the heart of Lleida’s main commercial area.
© Caselles Family
© Caselles FamilyIn 1934, the kiosk became the bookstore and stationery shop we know today, located at 46 Carrer Major in Lleida. This marked the beginning of the store as a cultural landmark.
Bonaventura’s sons (Josep and Bonaventura) consolidated their father’s business model, even though its early years coincided with the Civil War and the postwar period. Librería y Papelería Caselles endured despite great hardship. During the dictatorship, selling books in Catalan was prohibited, but Caselles kept its doors open and remained committed to the Catalan language.
During the 1970s, Caselles became the benchmark bookstore not only in the city of Lleida but throughout the province.
The store became an essential cultural meeting point, hosting book launches, literary gatherings, and events linked to the intellectual and artistic world. Its role as a promoter of local cultural life strengthened its prestige and emotional connection with generations of readers.
© Caselles Family
© segre.comThe founder’s grandchildren —Josep Maria, Ramon, Jordi, and Joan— adapted the business to modern times while preserving its essence.
In 2007, the entire building was renovated and modernized, improving facilities, design, and catalog. The bookstore and stationery now span six floors and a preserved 18th-century cellar. The building retains traces of the past that connect with the city’s history, giving it unique heritage value. Its preservation and integration have made this space a key part of the identity of one of the most iconic bookstores in the country.
Each floor is dedicated to a specific sector of the book world, with one floor devoted to stationery. This allows for personalized service from specialized staff. There are also areas for book presentations, workshops, children’s activities, and exhibitions, reinforcing the store’s role as a cultural center.
Faced with the lack of generational succession, in 2024 the Caselles family reached an agreement with Bookish to ensure the continuity, identity, and positioning of the bookstore.
After more than 100 years of history, Libreria Papereria Caselles stands as a symbol of resilience, dynamism, and the cultural heritage of Ponent, with one of the best bibliographic collections in the country and as a meeting point for the dissemination and promotion of the humanities, science, and literature.
© Caselles Family
