It is built in an old theater.
A delightful bookstore called El Ateneo Grand Splendid is hidden in Barrio Norte, in Buenos Aires. The shop is located in a nearly 100-year old theater Grand Splendid, opened in 1919. Later the theatre was converted to cinema, and in 2000 turned into a bookstore. Today it welcomes over one million visitors every year.
The magnificent building was designed by architects Pero and Torres Armengol. Then from the cinema to the bookstore it was turned by the architect Fernando Manzone, who has kept a part of the theatre in its original form, including the stage, balconies, incredible architectural details and even the curtains red. In 2008, the respected publication The Guardian named El Ateneo Grand Splendid second most beautiful store in the world.
