MUNICH - (MunichNOW News) Surprise news came to both employees and customers of Munich's most famous bookstore, Hugendubel at Marienplatz. The venerable multi-story retail outlet closes its doors in 2016, according to recent reports in the Abendzeitung.

Since its founding in 1979, Hugendubel has been an institution with its innovative level concept and green armchair reading areas. On Tuesday evening, the news for the 85 employees of the branch was grim: in 2016, it is all over. The lease will not be renewed, and the focus in the future has to be on the other branches.

With the opening of the flagship story at Marienplatz in Munich, Hugendubel opened a new era in the German book trade in the fall of 1979. The idea that Heinrich Hugendubel had was to, right in the middle one of the busiest shopping streets in Germany, to open a bookstore. The was quite revolutionary and daring at this time as never before had customers experienced a multi-storey bookstore where they were encouraged to to browse and sit around reading and enjoying the printed word. It was a bookstore for readers. It was a place to meet. It was place to while away the hours with favorite authors. It was acceptable to linger for hours.

This concept set the trend for other stores and shaped the modern book trade for several decades to come. The Marienplatz store developed into one of the best-selling bookstores in Europe and at the same time became a symbol of Munich. You met people "in front of Hugendubel" or "at the third floor front reading cubby".

Times have changed, and customers are now less satisfied with its small winding floors, the narrow entrance, and the confusing elevator arrangement. The once modern store appears dated and not catering to the demands of the modern book trade. As a result, the Hugendubel management made a renovation proposal to the owner of the property for continuing use of the location as a bookstore when the lease comes up in 2015.

"We, without reservation, wanted to remain at Marienplatz and submitted a proposal for a new use of the area. The owner, however, opted for a different use concept. We regret this very much, but at the same time, we respect this decision," said Nina Hugendubel, managing partner of the Munich family business. "We are firmly convinced that the cultural of books must be preserved in the German city centers," says Dr. Maximilian Hugendubel, managing partner of Hugendubel. "People look at bookstores for its wide selection of titles and the advice of the well-informed bookseller as an indispensable component of retail experience."

The Hugendubel  family is firmly committed to serving their Munich customers. Dr. Maximilian Hugendubel said, "We have the Karlsplatz / Stachus location and the Five Courtyards (Fünf Höfe), along with two other downtown stores, in which we will invest to give the customers of the Marienplatz branch , a new and appropriate home."

Notwithstanding the development of Marienplatz, Munich remains the most important location for Hugendubel. Besides the two city stores and the neighborhood bookstore in Neuhausen, Hugendubel is present in all major shopping centers in Munich, giving it, even after 2016 seven stores in Munich.Hugendubel to close Marienplatz store in 2016 - photo: dpa