The quickly deteriorating situation at France’s Chapitre bookstore chain has led the subsidiary of Najafi-owned Actissia to file for bankruptcy. The group employees 1,200 people at 57 stores across France. In recent weeks, the country’s largest bookseller Fnac had indicated some interest in acquiring up to 20 of Chapitre’s stores in medium-sized cities where Fnac does not have a presence. A number of publishers had stopped shipping to Chapitre after the parent company announced in early October it would sell off the stores (or close them in no buyers could be found).
