Koegui Bookstore, two booksellers, one story

In 2006, Guy Néplaz, then involved in the world of business consulting, bought the Pyrenees bookstore, which had been located for more than 30 years in the heart of the Grand Bayonne region. He then realized his dream: to become a bookseller. It will take nearly four years to discover and organize a large stock of old and modern books.

In 2010, he was joined by Isabelle Bilbao, a graduate in contemporary history from the Basque Country.

To open up to new thematic and geographical horizons, they developed the KOEGUI library at the same place.

Instead of following the market trend of installing "a bookstore in a room", they called on a renowned interior designer Tristan Auer to design "a place to live and exchange" where visitors could smell wood and leather.

Designed for the pleasure and relaxation of visitors, the bookstore respects the best conditions for book storage: temperature 18° to 20°C, relative humidity level: 50 to 60% and appropriate lighting.

The bookstore was inaugurated in November 2011 with the presence of Jean Grenet, Mayor of Bayonne, who named it "heritage bookstore" and named it after a heart of Basque singers.

The initial background selected with great care and constantly enriched by acquisitions from private individuals and public sales focused on first editions, beautiful bindings, illustrated books, theme books....

In parallel, they created the KOEGUI publishing house, which in the "Heritage and Architecture" collection publishes beautiful books on the Basque Country (www.editions-koegui.fr)

A member of SLAM, the KOEGUI bookshop has been present for 5 years at the International Rare Book Fair at the Grand Palais. In March 2017, it participates in the New York Antiquarian Book Fair and will be present again in 2018.