Anja Urbschat to Leave Börsenverein Role and Return to Localbook.shop

The Reader Times desk 16 October 2026 Based on BuchMarkt reporting

Engraved illustration of a richly stocked bookshop brightened by flowers and warm light. — Editorial illustration for The Reader Times.

Anja Urbschat will step down as regional director of the Börsenverein’s Düsseldorf office on 31 October to resume work at the independent bookstore she co‑founded.

Anja Urbschat announced she will end her tenure as regional director of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels’ Düsseldorf office on 31 October.

Urbschat joined the association in September 2025 and has overseen its activities in North Rhine‑Westphalia since then.

She will return to the independent bookshop localbook.shop, which she launched in 2021 with her wife Annette Happ.

In a statement, Urbschat said her “heart beats for the book trade” and that she wants to devote her energy directly to the bookstore and its team.

Peter Kraus, chief executive officer of the Börsenverein, expressed regret at her departure, praising her “forward‑looking practice expertise” and “solution‑oriented enthusiasm” for the sector.