Steimatzky

Steimatzky is an Israeli bookstore chain founded in 1920 by Tzvi Steimatzky in Tel Aviv. It developed from a single shop into a large national retail network serving readers in Hebrew and other languages. The business became particularly associated with foreign-language books and with the commercial infrastructure created by immigration, the British Mandate, and the growth of Israel's urban centers. A second branch was opened in Jerusalem in 1925 by Tzvi's half brother, Yechezkel Steimatzky, who had arrived from Russia through Germany. Yechezkel recognized demand for an English- and foreign-language bookstore serving immigrants, visitors, and British military personnel. A Haifa branch followed in the same year. In 1927 the company expanded beyond Palestine by opening a Beirut location and adopting the name Steimatzky Middle East Agency. During the Second World War it also established stores in Baghdad, Cairo, Alexandria, and Damascus, placing branches near communities and British military installations. This regional phase ended around the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, when branches in Beirut, Baghdad, Cairo, and Damascus were nationalized. The company continued expanding inside Israel after independence. Eri Steimatzky, Yechezkel's son, joined in 1963 and later became general manager. Under his leadership, the chain broadened its national footprint and became a dominant force in Israeli book retail. In 1995 it purchased the seven-store Sifri chain. Steimatzky was widely regarded as having a virtual monopoly in Israeli bookstore retail until competition intensified in the early 2000s. Tzomet Sfarim was formed in 2002 through the combination of two smaller competitors, Tzomet Sfarim and Yerid Hasfarim, together with Modan Publishing House. Steimatzky merged with Keter Publishing House in 2004. Ownership changed materially in 2005, when Markstone Capital Partners acquired the company. During the Markstone period, the chain operated in dozens of Israeli cities and for a time also had locations in London and Los Angeles. In 2006 it was reported to have stores in 68 Israeli cities, more than 700 employees worldwide, and an estimated 40 percent share of the Israeli book-retailing market. Eri Steimatzky announced his retirement in 2007, ending the direct management era of the founding family. By 2010, the retailer had more than 160 Israeli stores in several formats, including conventional mall shops, larger branches, locations incorporating cafés, and stores carrying substantial non-book merchandise. In June 2014, a group led by advertising and retail figure G. Yafit acquired Steimatzky. Eyal Greenberg, G. Yafit's son, became chief executive. The chain subsequently adjusted its physical network as competition from Tzomet Sfarim and other channels increased. Its branch count declined from more than 160 in the early 2010s to approximately 140 in the late 2010s, while it remained the larger of the two principal national bookstore chains. The company's headquarters and logistics center moved from Kiryat Aryeh in Petah Tikva to the Lev HaAretz industrial area in Kafr Qasim in early 2018. Since 2020, its online store has extended beyond books into a broad assortment of consumer goods, including footwear, perfumes, home appliances, and electronics. Available branch counts indicate a continuing nationwide presence: 128 stores were reported in January 2022, 138 in March 2023, and 137 in July 2025. Steimatzky therefore remains primarily a bookstore brand, but its current retail proposition combines books, stationery and gift-oriented merchandise with wider consumer categories and online commerce.

Steimatzky began in 1920, when Tzvi Steimatzky opened a bookstore at 6 Herzl Street in Tel Aviv. In 1925, his half brother Yechezkel opened a second branch on Jaffa Road in Jerusalem and another in Haifa. Yechezkel had come from the Russian Empire through Germany and identified a market for foreign-language books among immigrants, visitors, and British military personnel in Mandatory Palestine. The business briefly developed into a regional network. In 1927 it opened a Beirut store and changed its corporate name to Steimatzky Middle East Agency. During the Second World War, stores were established in Baghdad, Cairo, Alexandria, and Damascus. The regional operation was halted by the political upheaval surrounding the 1948 Arab-Israeli War; branches in Beirut, Baghdad, Cairo, and Damascus were nationalized. Within Israel, the chain continued to add locations, including a store on Allenby Street in Tel Aviv by 1948. Eri Steimatzky, Yechezkel's son, joined the company in 1963 and became general manager. His tenure was associated with sustained expansion and the creation of a powerful national retail network. In 1995 Steimatzky bought the seven-store Sifri chain. The company was commonly viewed as a virtual monopoly in Israeli book retail until competition strengthened in the early 2000s. In 2002, Tzomet Sfarim emerged from the union of two smaller bookstore competitors, Tzomet Sfarim and Yerid Hasfarim, with Modan Publishing House. Steimatzky merged with Keter Publishing House in 2004. Markstone Capital Partners bought the company in 2005. In 2006, the chain was reported to operate in 68 Israeli cities and also in London and Los Angeles, with more than 700 employees worldwide and an estimated 40 percent share of Israel's book-retailing market. Eri Steimatzky announced his retirement in September 2007. By 2010, the company operated more than 160 stores across Israel, including mall branches, café-linked stores, larger formats, and outlets carrying substantial non-book merchandise. In June 2014, ownership passed to an investor group led by G. Yafit. Eyal Greenberg was appointed CEO. During the following years Steimatzky adjusted its store network as Tzomet Sfarim narrowed the gap in branch numbers. Steimatzky had approximately 140 branches by September 2017, compared with 96 for Tzomet Sfarim at that time. The chain later had 136 branches in November 2020, 128 in January 2022, 138 in March 2023, and 137 in July 2025, according to the cited branch-count snapshots. The headquarters and logistics center moved from Kiryat Aryeh in Petah Tikva to the Lev HaAretz industrial area in Kafr Qasim in early 2018. From 2020 onward, the online store broadened its merchandise range beyond books to include categories such as footwear, perfumes, home appliances, and electronics. Steimatzky remains an active Israeli retailer whose identity is rooted in books but whose physical and digital formats accommodate a wider general-merchandise proposition.

• 2020

  Online store broadens merchandise range

  [1]Steimatzkyen.wikipedia.org

  The e-commerce operation expanded into non-book categories including footwear, fragrances, appliances, and electronics.

• 2018

  Operations move to Kafr Qasim

  [1]Steimatzkyen.wikipedia.org

  The headquarters and logistics center relocated to the Lev HaAretz industrial area in Kafr Qasim.

• 2014

  G. Yafit-led investor group acquires Steimatzky

  [1]Steimatzkyen.wikipedia.org

  Ownership transferred to a group led by G. Yafit, and Eyal Greenberg became CEO.

• 2005

  Markstone ownership begins

  [1]Steimatzkyen.wikipedia.org

  Markstone Capital Partners acquired the company.

• 2004

  Merger with Keter Publishing House

  [1]Steimatzkyen.wikipedia.org

  Steimatzky merged with Keter Publishing House.

• 2002

  Tzomet Sfarim strengthens competition

  [1]Steimatzkyen.wikipedia.org

  Tzomet Sfarim was formed through the combination of smaller bookstore businesses and Modan Publishing House.

• 1995

  Sifri chain acquired

  [1]Steimatzkyen.wikipedia.org

  Steimatzky purchased the seven-store Sifri bookstore chain.

• 1963

  Eri Steimatzky joins the company

  [1]Steimatzkyen.wikipedia.org

  Eri Steimatzky joined the business and later became its general manager.

• 1948

  Regional branch network ends

  [1]Steimatzkyen.wikipedia.org

  The company's Beirut, Baghdad, Cairo, and Damascus branches were nationalized amid the political changes surrounding the 1948 war.

• 1927

  Regional Middle Eastern expansion begins

  [1]Steimatzkyen.wikipedia.org

  A Beirut store opened and the company adopted the name Steimatzky Middle East Agency.

• 1925

  Jerusalem and Haifa expansion

  [1]Steimatzkyen.wikipedia.org

  Yechezkel Steimatzky opened a Jerusalem branch on Jaffa Road and an additional store in Haifa.

• 1920

  First Tel Aviv bookstore opens

  [1]Steimatzkyen.wikipedia.org

  Tzvi Steimatzky opened the first Steimatzky store at 6 Herzl Street in Tel Aviv.

A nationwide Israeli bookstore retailer combining broad book selection with stationery, gifts, café-oriented and other consumer merchandise, increasingly supported by e-commerce.

• Book retail · 1920

  Books

  Steimatzky's core offering is retail distribution of books through its national branch network and online store. The assortment serves the Israeli market and has historically included Hebrew titles as well as foreign-language books. Books remain the central product category around which the brand's bookstore identity, store formats, and merchandising are organized.

• Book retail · 1925

  Foreign-language books

  Foreign-language books were an important part of the original business model, particularly in Jerusalem and Haifa, where the chain served immigrants, international visitors, and British personnel. The category helped distinguish Steimatzky from a purely local-language bookstore and supported its early expansion.

• Retail merchandise

  Stationery and gifts

  Steimatzky stores have carried non-book merchandise alongside books, including stationery and gift-oriented products. These categories support impulse purchases and broaden the role of the stores in malls and other high-traffic retail settings.

• General merchandise · 2020

  Consumer products

  Since 2020, the online store has marketed a wider selection of consumer goods beyond traditional bookstore merchandise. Reported categories include shoes, perfumes, home appliances, and electronics, reflecting an effort to use the Steimatzky platform as a broader retail channel.

• 2020

  Broaden the online retail propositionStrategy

  Background

  Steimatzky was operating in a competitive retail market and had an established e-commerce channel alongside its physical bookstores.

  Action taken

  The website expanded its assortment beyond books into shoes, perfumes, home appliances, electronics, and other consumer products.

  Aftermath

  The change positioned the online operation as a broader consumer-retail marketplace while the physical chain retained its bookstore identity.

  Source

• 2018

  Relocate headquarters and logistics operationsStrategy

  Background

  The company continued to manage a large national store network and required centralized operational infrastructure.

  Action taken

  Steimatzky moved its headquarters and logistics center from Kiryat Aryeh in Petah Tikva to the Lev HaAretz industrial area in Kafr Qasim.

  Aftermath

  The move established Kafr Qasim as the company's reported headquarters and logistics base.

  Source

• 2004

  Merge with Keter Publishing HouseM&A

  Background

  The Israeli publishing and book-retailing sectors were undergoing consolidation and increasing competition.

  Action taken

  Steimatzky merged with Keter Publishing House.

  Aftermath

  The combination linked the retail chain with an established publishing business, although the cited material does not provide further financial or operational details.

  Source

• 1995

  Acquire the Sifri bookstore chainM&A

  Background

  Steimatzky was consolidating its position in Israel's bookstore market.

  Action taken

  The company acquired Sifri and its seven stores.

  Aftermath

  The transaction contributed to Steimatzky's dominant position before stronger organized competition emerged in the 2000s.

  Source

• 1927

  Expand into the Middle Eastern regional marketStrategy

  Background

  After establishing stores in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa, Steimatzky identified demand beyond Mandatory Palestine among foreign-language readers and communities connected to British commercial and military activity.

  Action taken

  The company opened a Beirut branch and changed its name to Steimatzky Middle East Agency, later adding stores in Baghdad, Cairo, Alexandria, and Damascus.

  Aftermath

  The regional network was ultimately interrupted by the 1948 conflict and the nationalization of branches in several cities.

  Source

1. 1Steimatzkyen.wikipedia.org