Mondadori Store: 30 new franchise bookshops planned for 2026

Mondadori Retail aims to end 2026 with 30 new franchise bookshops in its Mondadori Store network. As at 3 November, 21 are already trading, with another nine planned by the end of December. The programme runs alongside the development of company-owned shops and puts franchisees at the heart of growth, with openings in both big-city neighbourhoods and smaller towns across Italy.

Twenty-one openings completed, nine planned

The timetable announced by Mondadori Retail distinguishes between bookshops already trading and those yet to open. The nine openings expected in the final part of the year are in Calabria, Puglia, Sicily and Veneto. The total of 30 new shops therefore represents the programme for the whole of 2026, rather than the number of openings already completed.

This expansion follows the opening of more than 100 franchise bookshops over the past five years. That figure reflects a growth strategy in which franchising supports the network’s expansion without replacing the development of company-owned outlets.

For those following the Italian franchise market, the news concerns an established network that continues to invest in franchising. The programme covers a range of locations rather than focusing on a single geographical area: the remaining planned openings span regions in southern Italy as well as Veneto in the north-east. The year-end test will be whether all nine announced openings have been completed.

A channel generating more than €100 million

The importance of franchisees is also clear from the financial results. In 2025, the franchise channel generated revenue of more than €100 million, accounting for around 45% of Mondadori Retail’s total turnover. These figures relate to the year before the 2026 opening programme: the two sets of data should be considered separately, without attributing results to new shops for which figures are not yet available.

That share shows how much franchising contributes to the company’s business. It is not simply a way to add bookshops to the network, but a significant source of overall revenue.

However, the scale of the franchise business does not indicate how profitable an individual bookshop might be. For prospective franchisees, the channel’s turnover is useful in understanding the size of the network, but it is no substitute for analysing a particular outlet, its costs and its local market. This is an important distinction when comparing national network figures with an individual business proposal.

Long-standing franchisees and multi-site operators

Around 1,000 people work in franchised Mondadori Bookstores, in addition to 320 franchise owners. Of those owners, 150 have either been in the network for more than ten years or run multiple outlets. The figure therefore covers two different circumstances: long-term membership of the network and multi-site operation.

One example comes from Rome’s EUR district, where a bookshop opened in October under the same franchisee who runs the outlets in Velletri, Lariano, Genzano di Roma, Frascati, Cisterna and San Cesareo. The opening extends the presence of an entrepreneur already operating in several locations.

This case highlights one form of growth: alongside extending its geographical reach, the network is also growing through existing franchisees. It does not mean that the same model applies to every new opening, but it illustrates the role of multi-site operators within the Mondadori Store network.

From major cities to the island of Salina

The network covers residential neighbourhoods in major cities, historic town centres and small municipalities, including island locations. Announced additions include a long-established bookshop in Biella and a new shop in Bassano del Grappa: two different situations, combining the arrival of an existing business in the network with the opening of a new outlet.

In Sicily, the picture includes the Mondadori Bookstore in Partinico, which opened in August, and the Mondadori Point in Leni, on the island of Salina. The latter is in a municipality with 667 residents, demonstrating the network’s presence even in very small communities.

The variety of locations is one of the programme’s distinguishing features. Understanding the expansion requires more than counting openings: it also means considering where they take place and the types of businesses involved.

Practical takeaway: anyone considering a bookshop franchise should distinguish the network’s overall results from the prospects of an individual shop, examining the local catchment area, costs and management commitment before making a decision.