2024

Mondadori Bookstore | MA opens in Naples, at the monumental Galleria Umberto I.

The bookshop overlooks Teatro Salone Margherita, the historic café-chantant, the highest expression of the Neapolitan Belle Époque, in the San Ferdinando district, in the heart of Naples. Featuring furnishings, which harmonise with the Art Nouveau atmosphere of the venue, the bookshop tunes into the period architectural traits, combining them with the corporate philosophy of MA (間): environmentally friendly, smart and young. The Japanese philosophical concept can be interpreted as an interval, a pause and an “indefinite space between heaven and earth where man can rest, free the mind and nourish his soul”, says Antonio Serpe, Chief Retail Officer of Mondadori Bookstore | MA Italy. “A time to stop the hectic pace of everyday life, devote oneself to reading, and tune into nature, thus defining an entirely innovative way of understanding, promoting and making culture,” concludes Serpe.

“As Mondadori Retail, we are proud to cooperate in this initiative. The strength of the MA format is based on the conviction that investing in cultural projects capable of adapting to both present and future challenges, fully respecting people and their work, will contribute to the evolution of even consolidated business models,” says Carmine Perna, CEO of Mondadori Retail. “From the outset, Mondadori Retail shared the vision and objectives of creating a cultural and experiential hub at the service of the community. The intention was to make it a venue for the promotion of reading, entertainment, environmental sustainability and culture in its broadest sense,” concludes Perna.

The Mondadori Bookstore | MA is a fusion concept inspired by Japanese culture and translated from simple ideas into concrete projects by the firm Ricciardi Architetti, in partnership with architect Selene Amico. Tall furniture echoing the natural line of tree trunks creates a gallery that envelops visitors, inviting them to breathe in culture and make it their own, both stimulating and satisfying their curiosity. Combined with bonsai trees and sansevierias – not a random choice, as they purify the air from benzene -, everything in the bookshop recalls nature and environmental sustainability, from lamps to design accessories, from architectural choices to the quality of materials – marine poplar wood and recycled iron -, skilfully processed by master carpenters and  Coppola‘s historical partners. Moreover, ecological water paints, used for walls, can reduce the amount of free formaldehyde in the environment by 80%, while floating floors diminish environmental impact concerning the installation of all systems.

“The Galleria project is the highest expression of our philosophy of placing culture and art, in all forms of expression, at the centre of nature, to bring nature as close as possible to people, especially young people. The aim is to offer a deep emotional experience, leaving everybody free to define their own cultural paths and choices, but also to rely on and be advised by our trained staff of booksellers. Naples is the ideal city for this ambitious project as Neapolitans are passionate readers. Hence, we have invested around 1.9 million euro, and created 18 new job openings. The new location will also house a 300 sq.mt. office area for Mondadori Bookstore | MA offices,” says Serpe.

“The one in Naples (Italy’s flagship store) is our twelfth store. It will soon be followed by two new branches in Pavia, precisely one in the heart of the city in Via Cavour, and the other in the province. Thus, we continue our commitment to open bookshops not only in big cities, but also in the suburbs, to enable young people to get closer to reading, thus promoting a better future for them,” says Nello Nunziata, Head of the Store Development Division.

Mondadori Bookstore | MA in Naples covers a surface area of 1,000 sq.mt, with an offer of 148,000 books spanning great classics and best sellers – including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous. The We are Junior area includes children’s books, educational games, and illustrated fairy tales to stimulate the imagination of kids. Finally, the innovative section Just Comics, centred on mangas and comics, summons Generation Z. There is also an area dedicated to music and  cinema, with a wide selection of CDs, vinyl records and DVDs. The venue also presents a book buvette area, a free coworking hub, reading space reserved for reading and study, a space for wine tastings, and an exclusive area for events, designed to host some of the leading figures in the local, national and international art scene. Two large touch screen totems allow social interaction, while click & collect, and self checkouts allow customers to buy online on the bookshop’s website and collect in store. Trovalibro, Book Finder, locates the desired book among those available in store, thus making the reader’s experience in the bookshop pleasant and easy.

The store also features a large photo gallery dedicated to the art and contemporary photography of young emerging talents, offering them the opportunity to display their work in the heart of the gallery from time to time. This is the case of Vittorio Cioffi, Michele De Cesare, Gerardo Massaro, Fabio Monk and Davide Orfeo, who will open the exhibition Metamorfosi napoletana.

“The new Mondadori Bookstore | MA has the ambition of becoming a cultural hub that is accessible and usable by the entire Neapolitan community. It will also propose a rich calendar of events studied to offer, from the onset, some important names from the world of culture, who will enliven our gallery,” says Nunziata. “Furthermore, through various initiatives, the bookshop is also very attentive and sensitive to contemporary social and environmental issues,” concludes Nunziata.

MONDADORI BOOKSTORE| MA expresses an innovative, environmentally friendly, young and smart bookstore concept addressing Generation Z and beyond. The philosophy is expressed through architectural choices and the materials used to create them, publishing ideas and initiatives. The environmentally sustainable cultural concept has stemmed from the entrepreneurial background of the Neapolitan-minded creators and Mondadori Retail, the company managing one of the largest bookstore networks in Italy, Mondadori Store. Present throughout Italy with      11 stores in Udine, Gravellona, Arma di Taggia, Milan, Turin, Reggio Emilia, Grosseto, Rome, Salerno, Sestu and Catania.                                                 

MONDADORI BOOKSTORE I MA
Address: Galleria Umberto I, 45/46 Naples (NA)
Opening hours: Mon–Sun 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Phone: +39081 4241243
Email: napoli@mabooks.it
IG: @choose.ma – TikTok: @mondadori_ma
https://www.mondadoristore.it/negozi

Benedetta Serpe
mondadorima.social@gmail.com
Phone: +39 333.9008660

Mondadori Group Press Office
pressoffice@mondadori.it
Tel. +39 02.75423159

The Mondadori Group has launched PLAI, the start-up accelerator designed to transform ideas, based on exploiting artificial intelligence, into successful entrepreneurial initiatives. PLAI will offer them a distinctive field of application and an industrial outlet both at the publishing house and with the initiative’s partners.

With PLAI, the Mondadori Group defines the following goals:

• set up a technology hub to identify highly innovative initiatives in its business sectors – publishing, education, retail, media and advertising;
• acquire a central role in the artificial intelligence revolution, becoming the core of a national and international community of innovators;
• create industrial value and competitive advantage through targeted investments in AI start-ups.

“Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming many markets. In a scenario in which generative AI makes content creation and processing a feasible prospect by revolutionising the way any activity is carried out, we want to give a strong impetus in terms of knowledge and informed use of AI in all our business areas,” says Antonio Porro, CEO of the Mondadori Group. “As a leading media publisher, we want to play a central role in the Gen AI ecosystem to lead the industry as a trendsetter, attract talent and offer our customers new products and services. PLAI, our accelerator, was conceived with this goal in mind,” concludes Porro.

PLAI will operate in the pre-seed and seed phases by selecting, for each annual acceleration cycle, 10 Italian and international start-ups that will be supported with an initial investment of EUR 100,000 each, in exchange for a minority share. The Mondadori Group’s overall financial commitment is approximately EUR 6 million, to be invested over the three-year period 2024-2026.

In addition to capital, the accelerator will provide start-ups with concrete AI application areas, structured training and mentorship courses, besides the opportunity to participate in networking events. This will also be achieved with the unique set of skills and assets of relevant Italian and international partners, who have decided to join the Mondadori Group’s initiative, precisely, Startupbootcamp, I3P, Amazon AWS, PwC Italy, Multiversity, GroupM, Codemotion and Datapizza.

Core Operational Allies

• Startupbootcamp, Europe’s first start-up accelerator and a leading global network, will support the PLAI team during every stage of the project, contributing significantly in terms of international scouting, and providing its network of experts and mentors. PLAI and Startupbootcamp teams will cooperate intensively, sharing the same workplace. This partnership is an important part of Startupbootcamp’s vision to accelerate 100,000 technologies featuring a positive impact on the planet and society by 2030.
• I3P, the incubator of Politecnico di Torino, which supports the creation and development of innovative, technology-intensive start-ups, will support PLAI at all stages of the acceleration process, especially by enriching its training offer with more than 10 dedicated workshops.

Strategic collaboration HUB

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) will offer start-ups credits for using the AWS cloud featuring over 200 services, including those dedicated to Machine Learning and Generative Artificial Intelligence, as well as access to AWS’ team of AI experts.
• Multiversity, a leader in the world of education and a pioneer in generative AI applied to digital education, will provide its academic expertise in the technology transfer process, thus creating an ideal ecosystem for the success of start-ups in this field.
• GroupM will provide innovation and expertise in marketing, media and digital technology to bring start-ups closer to customers’ actual business environments.
• PwC Italia will support the PLAI team by providing its expertise acquired in the publishing and media market, and in innovation management processes, by contributing to scouting and training phases for start-ups, and by assisting the PLAI team as strategic advisor.

Communication & Networking

• Codemotion will involve network experts and support the PLAI community’s creation to enhance the programme by fostering meetings with its community of more than 250,000 developers through dedicated events and contests, and participation in the annual conference, a landmark for developers in Italy.
• Datapizza will support the PLAI community’s growth by creating synergies with Gen AI experts, and by reporting on the initiative on the Italian Media Tech, which counts 15 million organic impressions each month.

Where

PLAI‘s DNA is enclosed in the name, a pun that turns play into PLAI, with the addition of the AI factor. It symbolises a dynamic environment, a genuine playground for start-ups that are set and ready to explore and revolutionise the field of generative AI. The PLAl-Ground, a physical meeting and working place at the WAO PL7 space in via Lambertenghi 8, Milan, designed to stimulate creativity and discussions, and to accelerate the implementation of ambitious projects, will be placed at the disposal of start-ups.

Next steps

As of today, start-ups may apply to be examined and selected to access the acceleration programme promoted by PLAI. The selection phase for the 10 start-ups in the first cycle will end with the selection day in mid-September, while the four-month acceleration period will start in October. During this phase, each start-up will benefit from more than 50 hours of dedicated workshops conducted by Italian and international experts, and 20 hours of tailored mentorship. They will have the opportunity to apply their idea both within the Mondadori Group and at PLAI’s partners. In January, a Demo Day will be organised to introduce the start-ups to the market. They will make themselves known to investors and companies, and thus initiate a further important stage of development.

PLAI’s Chairman will be Antonio Porro, Chief Executive Officer of the Mondadori Group, while the CEO will be Stefano Argiolas, Chief AI Officer of the Mondadori Group and founder of Hej!,the start-up acquired by the Mondadori Group in 2021. It offers AI-driven performance marketing solutions.

Moreover, the PLAI team’s strategic decisions will be supported by an Advisory Board comprising a group of established professionals, academics and managers with wide-ranging expertise in AI and business development. They are determined to highlight and push the most promising start-ups to new heights. Advisory Board members are listed below: Alessandra Antonelli, Paola Bonomo, Marco Bressani, Luciano Catoni, Paola Colombo, Guido Di Fraia, Matteo Flora, Luca La Mesa, Marco Magnaghi, Paolo Merialdo, Paola Mogliotti, Giangiacomo Olivi, Giulio Ranucci, Alceo Rapagna, Maurizio Romandini, Chiara Russo, Massimo Sideri and Franco Spicciariello.

Are you ready to PLAI?
www.plai-accelerator.com

Today, the meeting of the Board of Directors of Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A., chaired by Marina Berlusconi, reviewed and approved the Interim Management Statement at 31 March 2024 presented by Chief Executive Officer Antonio Porro.

“I am very pleased with the economic and financial results achieved in the first quarter. Despite this being the seasonally less relevant period of the year, they allow us to confirm the outlook for the 2024 financial year. Furthermore, in the first few months of the current financial year our Group continued to develop its core businesses, focusing in particular on strengthening its presence in book publishing. We finalised the acquisition of 51% of Star Shop, a distribution and sales outlet management company operating in the comics segment, consolidated since 1st February, and, just a few weeks ago, we completed the acquisition of 100% of Chelsea Green Publishing, a publishing house focused on sustainability issues, which not only allows us to diversify our editorial portfolio, but marks a further step forward in our growth journey outside the Italian trade market, in the United States and the United Kingdom”, says Antonio Porro, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of the Mondadori Group.

Consolidated revenues for Q1 2024 amounted to € 166.1 million, having grown by 3.8% on Q1 2023 (€ 160 million). Net of the change in consolidation scope between the two periods under review, resulting from the consolidation of Star Shop, organic revenue growth was 1.5%.

Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2024 was € 4.8 million, up 9.3% on the € 4.4 million recorded for the same period of 2023, mainly thanks to the performance of the Trade BOOKS and RETAIL areas.

EBITDA for Q1 2024 came to € 5.7 million, compared to € 4.7 million as at 31 March 2023, showing an improvement of approximately € 1.1 million (+22.7%) due to the favourable dynamics of the management and extraordinary components.

The Mondadori Group’s EBIT for Q1 2024, negative by € 8.7 million, was € 0.5 million lower than the first three months of 2023 owing to the higher amortisation and depreciation recorded in the period, amounting to € 1.5 million, resulting both from the greater investments made in the last twelve months (€ +1 million, including € 0.25 million for the new flagship store project in Piazza Duomo) and from the accounting effects of the Purchase Price Allocation process (€ +0.5 million compared to Q1 2023) connected with the M&A transactions completed during 2023, particularly in the Trade BOOKS area.

Financial expense grew by 0.2 million in total as a result of greater charges linked to the IFRS 16 debt.

The consolidated result before tax for Q1 2024 is negative by € 10.2 million, down by approximately € 1.4 million from the € -8.8 million recorded on 31 March 2023, mainly due to a lower contribution (of approximately € 0.7 million) from the earnings of associates, which in the first quarter of 2023 benefited from a non-recurring component resulting from the fair value revaluation of the investment in the company A.L.I. of € 1.3 million.

The tax component for Q1 2024 is positive by € 4.1 million compared to € 3.6 million as at 31 March 2023 due to the lower pre-tax result.

The net profit attributable to the Group as at 31 March 2024 was negative by € 7.1 million, down compared to the net loss recorded in the first quarter of 2023 (€ -5.2 million) of approximately € 2 million, half of it deriving from the dynamics already mentioned and the remaining part linked to the greater share of the result pertaining to third parties (€ 1 million).

The Net Financial Position excluding IFRS 16 as of 31 March 2024 was € -133.3 million (net debt), an improvement of more than € 17 million compared to € -150.7 million in Q1 2023, due to significant cash generation by the business and despite the dividend distribution cash-out and the acquisition of Star Shop. The IFRS 16 Net Financial Position as of 31 March 2024 amounted to € -205.5 million (net debt), from € -220.8 million in 2023, due to an IFRS 16 debt component of € -72.3 million.

Cash flow from ordinary operations (after cash-out for financial expense and tax) in the twelve months prior to 31 March 2024 amounted to € 69 million and allows the Group to continue to strengthen its financial structure. Extraordinary cash flow was negative by € 19.2 million, mainly due to net cash-outs related to acquisitions and disposals of around € 10 million and restructuring costs of around € 5 million.

Consequently, LTM Free Cash Flow at 31 March 2024 was positive for € 49.8 million, confirming the Group’s capacity to finance its inorganic growth policy and shareholder remuneration policy.

PERFORMANCE OF BUSINESS AREAS

Trade BOOKS AREA

The first three months of 2024 saw a slight decline of 3.8% (in value) in the book market, resulting in particular from the trend in the months of January-February; in fact, the performance in March decidedly bucked the trend, showing an increase of 8.2% on the previous year.
In this context, the Mondadori Group’s publishing houses recorded a 4.7% drop compared to the first three months of 2023, which had however benefited from the publication of “Spare. Il minore” (Spare), the highly successful biography of Prince Harry published by Mondadori. Net of the revenue made from this book in 2023, Q1 2024 shows growth of 1.8% and therefore a significantly better performance than the reference market.

The Mondadori Group maintained its national leadership with a market share of 27.2% as of March 2024.

Revenue for Q1 2024 increased by 4.2%, 1.7% net of the consolidation of Star Shop: despite the first quarter of 2023 having benefited from the huge success of the publication of “Spare. Il minore” (Spare), the biography of Prince Harry published by Mondadori. This positive result is attributable in particular to the quality of the editorial plan implemented by the publishing houses and to several special initiatives, as well as to the growth in digital revenues.

The Adjusted EBITDA of the Trade BOOKS area for Q1 2024 stood at 14.8 million, having grown by approximately 12% (€ 1.6 million), largely due to the improved profitability of the publishing houses.

Education BOOKS AREA

School textbook publishing experiences a typical seasonal performance that sees sales squeezed in the second half of the year following the adoption campaign: as a result, the relating market shares for 2024 are unavailable at this time. For the same reasons, revenue achieved in the first three months typically represents less than 5% of the annual figure.

In the first quarter of 2024, the school textbooks business recorded an overall revenue of € 9.2 million, up 8.4% compared to Q1 2023 (€ 8.5 million) with a positive change attributable to the advance on supplies to top accounts, and therefore showing a performance that is not representative of the trend for the entire financial year.

Adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter of 2024 stood at € -13.8 million compared to € -11.7 million in the same period of 2023, as a result of the advanced production of the new textbooks made available to the sales network to support their promotion. Note that this result is not significant as it stems from the aforementioned seasonality of the business, with the costs of the operational structure and development of the textbooks marketed during the adoption campaign completed at the end of the month of May being recorded during the first quarter.

RETAIL AREA

As previously stated, there was a 3.8% decline (in value) in the book market in Italy in the first three months of 2024 compared to the same period of 2023. In this context there was a substantial stability of the physical channel (+0.4%) and a simultaneous negative trend in the online channel (estimated at -9.8%).
The Mondadori Group’s RETAIL area, however, recorded growth of 2.7% in Q1 2024, with a better performance compared to the market. Consequently, Mondadori Retail’s market share in the Book product stands at 12.5% (up 0.8% compared to 31 March 2023), driven by an excellent performance of direct and franchised stores.

In the first three months, revenue amounted to € 43.8 million, a 9% increase compared to the first quarter of 2023, also due to the consolidation of Star Shop’s retail activities. Organic growth amounted to 5.2%, driven by the Book product, sales of which increased by +4.9% (€ +1.6 million).
In the first three months, the RETAIL area presented an Adjusted EBITDA of € 2.3 million, highlighting growth of over 35% compared to the first quarter of 2023 (€ +0.6 million), attributable to the growth in revenues, in particular of the Book product, and the continued development and renewal of the direct store network.

MEDIA AREA

In the first two months of 2024, the advertising market (excluding search, social, classified and OTT) showed an increase of 4% compared to the previous year.
In Q1 2024, the MEDIA area recorded revenues of € 32 million, a slight decrease of 1% due to the effect of the traditional business, mainly resulting from the structural contraction of joint sales. Conversely, the digital business, which accounts for approximately 42% of the area’s revenues, show an overall growth in advertising revenues of 25% resulting in particular from the positive performance of the MarTech segment and the excellent results of the social agency activities launched in early 2023.

The Adjusted EBITDA of the MEDIA area in the first quarter of 2024 stood at € 3.2 million, having grown by approximately 11% compared to the previous year, owing to the performance of the digital business, the constant improvement in operational activities and the reduction in the cost of paper.

OUTLOOK FOR THE YEAR

In light of the results achieved in the first quarter and the reference markets scenario, the Group believes it can confirm the previously communicated guidance for the 2024 financial year.

Income Statement

• low single-digit revenue growth;
• mid single-digit growth in the Adjusted EBITDA, with margins expected to remain stable at around 17%, thanks to targeted pricing policies and the further reduction of paper and printing costs.

Financial data

In the financial year 2024, the Group is expected to confirm the significant cash generation capacity and therefore an Ordinary Cash Flow of around € 70 million.

2024-2026 PERFORMANCE SHARE PLAN: ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHTS

The Board of Directors, having heard the Remuneration Committee, resolved on the assignments to the beneficiaries of the rights relating to the 2024-2026 Performance Share Plan, established by resolution of the Shareholders’ Meeting of 24 April 2024. Information regarding the beneficiaries and the number of rights assigned are shown – by name, for the beneficiaries who are members of the Board of Directors, and in aggregate form for the other beneficiaries – in the table attached, prepared in compliance with Box 1, Schedule no. 7 of Annex 3A of the Issuer Regulation. The terms and conditions of the Plan are set out in the Directors’ Explanatory Report to the Shareholders’ Meeting of 24 April 2024 and in the Information Document prepared pursuant to Article 84-bis, paragraph 1 of the Issuers’ Regulation, available on the website www.gruppomondadori.it Governance section and on the storage mechanism www.1info.it to the contents of which reference should be made.

PUBLICATION OF THE MINUTES OF THE SHAREHOLDERS’ MEETING

Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. informs that the minutes of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Shareholders’ Meeting held on 24 April 2024 are available on the authorised storage mechanism 1Info (www.1info.it), in the Governance section of the Company website www.mondadorigroup.com and at the Company’s registered office.

The Interim Management Statement at 31 March 2024 is made available by today through the authorised storage mechanism 1Info (www.1Info.it), on www.mondadorigroup.com (Investors section) and at the registered office.

The presentation of the results at 31 March 2024, approved today by the Board of Directors, is available on www.1info.it and on www.mondadorigroup.com (Investors section). A Q&A session will be held in conference call mode at 4.00 pm for the financial community, attended by the CEO of the Mondadori Group, Antonio Porro, and the CFO, Alessandro Franzosi. Journalists will be able to follow the meeting in listening mode only, by connecting to the following phone number +39.02.8020927 or via web at: https://hditalia.choruscall.com/?calltype=2&info=company.

The Financial Reporting Manager – Alessandro Franzosi – hereby declares, pursuant to Article 154 bis, paragraph 2, of the Consolidated Finance Law, that the accounting information contained herein corresponds to the Company’s records, books and accounting entries.

Annexes (in the complete pdf):

1. Consolidated Statements of Financial Position
2. Consolidated Income Statement
3. Group cash flow
4. Glossary of terms and alternative performance measures used
5. Information pursuant to Schedule 7 of Annex 3a to CONSOB Regulation no. 11971/1999

Mondadori Store, the most extensive network of bookshops in Italy, is opening a new bookshop in Alessandria on Corso Roma, providing the public with a centre entirely dedicated to books, culture and entertainment on one of the city’s main streets.

The new Mondadori Bookstore — managed by booksellers Veronica and Matteo Fusetti — expands the already extensive network of Mondadori Stores in the area, in line with the network’s strategy of spreading culture and promoting reading in our free time, creating an interactive place to meet and a true cultural centre in one of the most important industrial and commercial areas of Piedmont.

‘For about 30 years, my sister and I have worked passionately as booksellers, with the conviction that culture should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their background,’ says Matteo Fusetti, a Mondadori Store franchisee. ‘Turning what you love into a profession is a privilege that should not be wasted, but rather put at the service of the public. We also like to think that anyone who comes into our bookshop can find something they weren’t expecting and be happily surprised,’ Fusetti says.

The new bookshop covers 200 square metres and offers a selection of 15,000 titles, from the great classics to best sellers, including fiction, non-fiction and other genres. Special attention is reserved for younger readers with the We are Junior format — which includes educational games and picture books to stimulate their imagination with the most engaging stories — and the department dedicated to manga and comics, Just Comic. The store also has areas dedicated to #BookTok, for new generations of readers, local publishing, stationery, toys, gift cards and gift boxes.

The Mondadori Bookstore in Alessandria also serves readers online: customers can keep up to date through the Facebook and Instagram pages. They can also contact the store through Mondadoristore.it digital services to check if a book is available, order it and pick it up in store, choosing from a catalogue of over 1 million titles.

Mondadori Store, the largest network of bookstores in Italy, will have a new store in Aprilia (LT) from 30 April 2024. A landmark for all lovers of culture, reading and entertainment at the Aprilia2 shopping centre, one of the liveliest and busiest areas in the Lazio province.

“We are happy to announce the opening of our bookstore under direct management in Aprilia, which cements the Mondadori Group’s commitment to spreading culture and promoting entertainment and reading. This continues the broader strategy of continuous renewal, enhancement and development of our network of bookstores in Italy, which are increasingly attractive in their role as cultural strongholds”, said Carmine Perna, Managing Director of Mondadori Retail.

Located in a strategic position and nearby the entrance of the shopping centre, the new bookstore — with an area of 170 m² — offers modern, innovative spaces with a layout and furnishings that enhance and emphasise the vast product range of Mondadori Store: a catalogue of more than 11,000 titles — from best sellers to the great classics, including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous topics — e-readers, stationery products, gift boxes and gift cards. There is also a We are Junior area specifically designed for young readers. In this section, even the youngest readers can find a rich selection of books, illustrated fairy tales and educational games. The bookstore also houses a wide selection of comics and manga in the dedicated Just Comics department, with superhero comics and graphic novels.

The store also serves readers online: customers can contact the store, follow initiatives and events on its Facebook and Instagram pages and use the digital services at Mondadoristore.it to check the availability of books from the catalogue of more than 1 million titles, order them and pick them up in store.

Mondadori Store, the largest network of bookstores in Italy, is launching an initiative aimed at anyone who wants to dive into the world of the Internet’s most beloved dog to celebrate the release of Francesco Taverna’s second book – A tutto Chico (Fabbri Editori) – and share their love for their four-legged friends.

From 6 to 12 May, Mondadori Duomo will be Chico’s home: it will host a pop-up store dedicated to the world of the irresistible little blonde dog that has conquered the Internet, where fans will have the chance to buy not only pre-sale copies of the book but also exclusive products: from dinner sets to collars for little four-legged friends to cute gifts like t-shirts, mugs and beach towels designed especially for their owners. The corner shop will also be livened up by engaging activities so fans can dive into the special world of Chico: they’ll also be able to leave a letter for the adorable little dog and take funny photos for social media. There will also be a machine for customising dog tags that can be used as key rings or gift ideas.

“Chico and I are excited to open the doors of our house to fans for the first time: everyone will be able to experience the place where our adventures happen. It’ll be a cosy and familiar place, where you’re sure to meet many other like-minded enthusiasts”, said author Francesco Taverna. “Inside the pop-up store, you’ll be able to experience the A tutto Chico world: take a photo in the Chico Giangol, relaxing in our little garden and…well, I won’t say another word, except to say that you’re all welcome”.

The author and father of the irresistible little dog, Francesco Taverna, will be there every day, at different times, at the Mondadori Duomo bookstore, to share stories and fun facts about the world of Chico and meet his fans. The unmissable and end event will be held on Saturday 11 May from 3 p.m. with a special book signing.

And for those who aren’t from Milan, exhibition corners just for Chico and his world will be set up in 6 other Italian Mondadori Bookstores from 7 to 31 May: those in Lombardy in Arese CC Il Centro, Lonato CC Il Leone Shopping Centre, Rozzano CC Fiordaliso, Vimercate CC TorriBianche and those in Romea CC Nave de Vero in Veneto and Florence CC I Gigli in Tuscany.

To celebrate its 70^th anniversary, INTERNI is turning over a new leaf and charting a new course. Starting with the May issue, the Mondadori Group’s interior and contemporary design magazine, edited by Gilda Bojardi, will have a new look: an entirely redesigned graphical design by the Tomo Tomo studio and even more content documenting, interpreting and promoting the evolution of projects in architecture, interior and design.

The new INTERNI, on newsstands as of Friday 3 May, will offer a broader range of columns to broaden the interpretation of projects from the macro to micro scale, expanding the vision towards science and the humanities. To do so, it will also rely on the curious and critical gaze of well-known professionals from around the world, who will report on project-related events, achievements and personalities.

The richer content will also correspond to a clearer, simpler and also more rigorous graphical image. Davide Di Gennaro and Luca Pitoni, founders of the Tomo Tomo studio and new art directors of INTERNI, explain: ‘A few years ago, Jasper Morrison called it Supernormal, an approach to design in search of pure form, the simplest form, without frills that distract from the function. The new graphical design of INTERNI is based on the same idea. A dryness and visual linearity guide the contents, a distinctive frame that enhances rather than overpowers, with the idea that a magazine consists first and foremost of its contents. We wanted larger photographs, more readable texts and a more obvious, linear structure, all aimed at building the strength of this new visual form. This timeless form adopts and updates the stylistic features of modernism to bring freshness and character to the pages of this historical magazine.’

The new image of INTERNI will debut in May with an English-language issue that will be officially presented in New York at NYCxDesign (16–23 May 2024) with a focus on the American creative scene. The virtuous design relationships binding Italy to New York — and the United States in general — are documented by the stories of outstanding Italians who have chosen their base of operations overseas and also American designers who have established fertile collaborations with Made in Italy companies. These are featured in the issue with a wide-ranging report on their settlement in the Big Apple through increasingly important and striking spaces and showrooms: a tangible sign of the growing success of Italian design in the American market.

The unveiling of the new issue will also form the centrepiece of a gala evening at the Consulate General of Italy in New York, where INTERNI will celebrate its 70th anniversary on 20 May with a talk entitled Big Italy in New York – Manufacturing Value. Inclusiveness, Innovation and Sustainability. The event will see the extraordinary participation of Fabrizio Di Michele, Consul General of Italy in New York, Gilda Bojardi, Director of INTERNI Magazine, Carlotta de Bevilacqua, President and CEO of Artemide, Laura Anzani, CEO of Poliform USA, Giulio Cappellini, an architect, designer and entrepreneur, Nicola Coropulis, CEO of Poltrona Frau, Francesco Farina, CEO of B&B Italia Americas, Bjarke Ingels Studio, BIG, Gabellini Sheppard Associates Giuseppe Lignano, LOT-EK, Lissoni Architecture NY, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and SOM.

The May issue of INTERNI will also be specially distributed in the most representative showrooms and flagship stores of the NoMad, Madison Avenue and Soho circuit; ICFF; the most important design studios in New York; major design and architecture schools; Libreria Rizzoli; and a select number of book and magazine stores.

The launch of the new issue will also be supported nationwide with a publicity campaign in major newspapers and trade publications and at points of sale.

Mondadori Store, the largest network of bookstores in Italy, will inaugurate a new bookshop tomorrow on Saturday 4 May in Avellino in the new Terminal: the innovative intermodal mobility hub located close to the main shopping streets. A new hub entirely dedicated to the world of books, culture and entertainment, available to the entire public.

The store expands the already extensive Mondadori Store network across the area, in line with the network’s strategy of spreading culture and promoting reading, creating an interactive meeting place and a real cultural organisation, especially for the young students who frequent the area: a strategic project for the Ufita Valley area and the Mezzogiorno.

“I’m happy to bring this project to life with the Mondadori Store network of bookstores, since we share the same goals: to make bookstores standards for culture and entertainment, satisfying the tastes of a wide public and focusing on the quality of the purchasing experience, multi-channel services and events, always putting the needs of our reading customers at the heart of our work”, said franchisee Nico Salanti, now at his fourth opening in Italy, after those in Nocera Inferiore, Cava de’ Tirreni and Sarno.

The new bookstore covers 156m² and offers a selection of around 6,000 titles, from the great classics to best sellers – including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous – and that’s not forgetting early readers with the We are Junior format, which includes educational games and illustrated books to stimulate children’s imagination with the most fascinating stories, and the department dedicated to the phenomenon of manga and comics, Just Comic. Areas dedicated to #BookTok, for the new generation of readers, local publishing, stationery, toys, gift cards and gift boxes also expand the store’s offer.

The store in Avellino also serves readers online: customers can contact the store, follow initiatives and events on its Facebook and Instagram pages and use the digital services at Mondadoristore.it to check the availability of books from the catalogue of more than 1 million titles, order them and pick them up in store.

The new Mondadori Bookstore follows the plan for renewal and development of Mondadori Store, the largest bookstore network in Italy, with more than 500 stores in cities and smaller towns. This cultural organisation is active throughout the country, online with the e-commerce site Mondadoristore.it and the book club. In addition to books, its primary service, it also provides entertainment, events and multichannel services, reaching more than 20 million customers every year.

MONDADORI BOOKSTORE
Bus Terminal – Via Fariello, 83100 Avellino (AV)
Opening times: Mon–Sat 7:30–20:30; Sun 9:30–21:00
Email: mondadori.stazioneavellino@gmail.com
Phone: 0825 51720378
https://www.mondadoristore.it/negozi
FB @mondadoristazioneavellino
IG @mondadori.stazioneavellino

Expectations were exceeded for INTERNI CROSS VISION at FuoriSalone 2024, which gave the design crowd intersecting visions of different cultures, languages, knowledge and countries thanks to projects with strong implications about research, sustainability and the future.

From 15 to 28 April, the event created and coordinated by the Mondadori Group’s magazine edited by Gilda Bojardi was the most popular at Design Week, with record numbers of participants and visitors. In fact, 548,000 people visited the University of Milan, the Eni Space at the Brera Botanical Garden, the Audi House of Progress at Portrait Milano and, for the first time, the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. For the second year running, there was also great success at the two satellite venues: Eataly Milano Smeraldo and De Castillia 23 by Urban Up | Unipol.

This edition of the exhibition, which also celebrated the magazine’s first 70 years, translated the concept of “Visioni Incrociate” (ICross Vision) into experimental installations, understood as lateral, multifaceted ideas that allows apparently opposing concepts to be combined: technology and crafts, art and industry, artifice and nature, materiality and digitalisation, which today are complementary and indispensable aspects of the contemporary innovation process. At the same time, it highlights the role that Italian design culture plays in this process. During the FuoriSalone, Milan becomes a design gym for architects, designers and creative people from around the world, who come for the opportunity to compare their visions and blend knowledge in a common effort to build a more beautiful and sustainable world.

With the contribution of the 3 co-producers (Audi, Eni and the General Administration for Italy at the 2025 Osaka Expo) and in collaboration with companies and institutions, INTERNI gathered more than 40 young, famous Italian and international designers and architects and different artists in a fusion of Architecture, Design and Art. For the exhibition, 40 installations, micro-architectures and macro-objects have been created, all site-specific, that – together with conferences, talks, live performances and showcases – created a varied mosaic of styles and visions, as well as time for discussion, attracting thousands of people. Visitors included large numbers of Italian and international journalists, who provided excellent coverage for INTERNI CROSS VISION in the daily papers, on radio and TV, in the trade press and in popular magazines, and ensured the exhibition was continually visible on the main social media channels and the Internet.

The INTERNI exhibition, which was created in 1990 on the initiative of Gilda Bojardi, the magazine’s editor, cemented itself as the central event of the FuoriSalone. The foundation of its success is the outstanding design and cultural content of the installations, the internationally famous brands involved, which are flanked by smaller operations who also offered very interesting exhibits. The exceptional response from both the public and the media reflects INTERNI’s outright leadership in the professional living sector and in design system communication.

We thank the co-producers Audi with BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, Eni with Italo Rota and CRA Carlo Ratti Associati, the General Administration for Italy at the 2025 Osaka Expo, and all the companies, designers and architects who participated: Wu Bin with Yardcom, Architect Vivian Coser with Centrorochas, ApexBrasil, Mario Cucinella with Roca, Jacopo Foggini and Massimo Iosa Ghini with Kiko Milano, Architect Annabel Karim Kassar with Annaka, Designer Toshiyuki Kita with Bizen City and Odate City, Architect Kengo Kuma with Quarella, Artist Cyril Lancelin with Fidenza Village – The Bicester Collection, Designer Arik Levy with Sans Souci, Architect Piero Lissoni with Sanlorenzo, Architects MAD – Architects MA Yansong and Andrea D’Antrassi with Amazon, Architect Simone Micheli with Path, Veronica Pesenti Rossi with Rubner Haus, Marco Piva with Saint-Gobain, Topotek1 – Martin Rein-Cano with Mapei and MDT-Tex, Bruno Simões with ApexBrasil, Patricia Urquiola with Cimento, Michele De Lucchi – AMDL Circle and Guido Scarabottolo with INTERNI 70 Years, Architect Marco Acerbis with Santini Cycling, Artist Carlo Bach with illycaffè and Kartell, Alessandra Baldereschi with No.3 Gin, Emiliano Calderini with Zentiva Italia, Architect Giulio Cappellini with Comunità San Patrignano, Designer Ludovica Diligu and Artists Plastique Fantastique with Labo.Art, Architect Tom Dixon with VitrA, Artist Dario Ghibaudo with Galleria De Ambrogi, Kutnia Design Hub, La Errería * Architecture Office with Tile of Spain, Claudio Larcher and Italo Rota with NABA and AMSA, Federica Marangoni with Simone Cenedese, Lorenzo Palmeri with Stone Italiana, Catello Raffaele with IUAD, Marco Nereo Rotelli with Bertolotto, David Monacchi with Comune di Pesaro, Capitale della Cultura Italiana 2024, and Renco, CastagnaRavelli, Marcantonio with qeeboo, Giulio Cappellini with Eataly, Studio Azzurro with Urban Up | Unipol.

The Mondadori Group reports that its subsidiary Rizzoli International Publications Inc. has finalised – in execution of the agreement signed and already disclosed on 15 April – the acquisition of 100% of the share capital of Chelsea Green Publishing Company.

As previously disclosed, the consideration for the acquisition, paid fully in cash at closing, was set at $ 5 million (on a debt and cash free basis) and will be subject to adjustment according to the Net Financial Position at the date of completion of the acquisition.