Since early October 2026, the Leberngasse 17 showroom in Olten has been showcasing titles from 55 independent publishers. The project is a joint effort of Buchzentrum AG, the leading Swiss logistics and service provider for book trade, and the event venue “Literatur & Bühne” founded by Thomas Knapp. The space operates Monday to Friday and doubles as a meeting and working area. Below the showroom, a basement reading room with 50 seats continues to host events.
Olten, a town of about 20,000 residents (59,000 in the district), is known as a “Literaturstadt” and is reachable by train from Zürich, Basel, Bern and Luzern within an hour. The city has long been a cultural hub, home to authors such as Franz Hohler, Alex Capus, Peter Bichsel, Rolf Lappert, Lisa Christ and Alexandra von Arx, and hosts a “Schriftstellerweg” with 70 listening stations.
Buchzentrum AG, part of the Swiss Book Centre cooperative, is the largest intermediary in the Swiss book market. In its first year, publishers can use the coworking area free of charge; thereafter, conditions will be clarified. Sandra Wachsmuth, Buchzentrum’s business manager, explained that only general audience publishers with a broad catalogue are eligible, excluding specialist or academic titles.
The showroom aims to act as a showcase for the Swiss publishing landscape and a place where publishers, booksellers and readers meet. While the initiative supports visibility for small presses, questions remain about the definition of “independent” and the inclusion of larger publishers that are part of conglomerates.