Bücher Balmer bookstore in Zug sold to Lüthy Group

What's the deal? Bücher Balmer, a long-established bookstore in the Swiss canton of Zug, is changing hands. Co-owner Christoph Balmer is selling his 50% stake in Bücher Balmer AG to the Solothurn-based Lüthy Group AG, making it the sole owner.

The sale follows the bookstore's 75th anniversary year. Both locations — in Zug and Steinhausen — will remain open, the Bücher Balmer name stays, and all 18 employees, including four apprentices, keep their jobs.

Why now? The move caps a two-decade partnership. Lüthy Group first joined forces with Bücher Balmer in Steinhausen in 2004, and the two have operated within a joint group since 2006. With Balmer ready to step back from ownership, a full acquisition was the logical next step.

Christoph Balmer says he will stay connected to the company, attend events, and maintain its regional network.

The signal: Independent bookstores across Europe increasingly rely on group structures to survive. The Balmer family's decision to hand full control to an established book-retail group after a 20-year partnership reflects a broader pattern: family-owned shops securing their legacy by folding into larger operators that can shoulder rising costs and digital competition while preserving local identity.

Read more: zug4you.ch