La Trenca Bookstore Relocates to Larger Space in Andorra

La Trenca bookstore is relocating to a larger space at number 65 on Príncep Benlloch street, with owners aiming to complete the move by summer.

Bookseller Haydée Vila confirmed the plans, noting the new site—previously home to the popular Ponte de Lima tapas bar—will quadruple the current floor space at Plaça Rebés. The expanded layout will feature bookshelves across two wings and a central area, lining all walls except those preserving the venue's colorful stained-glass windows and original bar counter. Large windows will open onto a small terrace overlooking the Estadi Nacional.

A café, long a fixture at La Trenca, will return fully integrated into the store. The focus remains on fiction, poetry, humanities, travel literature, Andorran and Pyrenean titles, plus dedicated sections for children's and young adult books, graphic novels, a newsstand, and second-hand volumes. Previously limited by storage constraints, the shop now plans to display much of its backstock.

Activities will expand, including reading cycles, a book club, recitals—with the venue's half-grand piano making the move—and author presentations. The shift avoids the Sant Jordi rush, targeting an opening ahead of the busy spring period. By December, the store will mark five years at the new address.

While moving from the bustling Plaça Rebés area to a slightly more peripheral spot, Vila and supporters see it as a vote of confidence in Andorra's readership amid competition from online giants like Amazon. The relocation bucks a trend of closures, including La Casa del Llibre, Fiter i Rossell, Llibreria Francesa—which shut in June 2024 and gave away books on the street—and others like Caballé, La Puça, and Eureka. La Trenca, they argue, promises a welcoming hub akin to iconic shops abroad, complete with weekend hours.