The well-known bookstore chain Cărturești is set to open Romania’s largest bookstore as part of an innovative edutainment concept within the expansive RIVUS project in Cluj-Napoca. The new store, spanning 2,500 square meters over two floors, will combine a broad selection of books in Romanian, Hungarian, and English with stationery, home décor, toys, and gifts, according to the developer.
In addition to retail, the location will feature a coffee shop, creative and educational workshops, event spaces, art exhibitions, and showcases for Romanian designers, creating a multifaceted cultural and lifestyle hub.
RIVUS, a major urban regeneration initiative transforming a former industrial platform in Cluj-Napoca, represents one of the largest industrial reconversion projects in Romania. Developed by IULIUS and Atterbury Europe with an investment exceeding half a billion euros, the project is designed to revitalize the 14-hectare Carbochim site.
“We are honored by the invite to become an anchor brand for the RIVUS project in Cluj-Napoca and this is an acknowledgement for how we build and provide experiences for all our visitors, whether such experiences are creative, educational or dedicated to promoting reading,” said Adrian Păun, Head of Marketing for Cărturești.
“Together with the Cărturești team, we will provide Cluj with a first-ever edutainment concept by scale and variety of proposed options,” added Oana Diaconescu, Head of Leasing Retail for IULIUS.
Beyond the bookstore, RIVUS will feature a mix of premium office spaces, services, and specialty retail brands alongside expansive green areas. One of the project’s key highlights is a new park covering over 5.2 hectares that connects the community with the Someș River for the first time.
The broader RIVUS development includes over 400 stores, 30+ restaurants and coffee shops overlooking the Someș River, a multiplex cinema featuring the latest technology, and a live arts center – a first for Romanian real estate projects. The site will also feature Japanese rooftop gardens, green façades, and green roofs, along with two repurposed industrial buildings housing cultural venues and coworking spaces. Infrastructure improvements will enhance connectivity with new pedestrian walkways, bicycle lanes, and thousands of parking spaces.
Currently in the building permit phase after local council approval of the urban zoning plan in August 2024, RIVUS is designed by the internationally renowned Dutch firm UNStudio.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Rivus)
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