Libros Antimateria: Local Literary Community In Laureles

TLDR? Libros Antimateria is a small bookstore located in Laureles where you can pick up some great reads!

Colombia has a long and esteemed literary tradition that holds up as one of its strongest artistic traditions. Why, just take a look at the oeuvre of Latin American superstar and Nobel Prize Winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez. His work is so esteemed in his home country that his image appears on the 50,000 peso note.

But besides Garcia Marquez, there are numerous literary icons in Colombia and South America. Their work has contributed heavily to the global culture at large.

Libros Antimateria is a great local bookstore in Medellin that not only has a fantastic collection of books for sale. It also hosts a plethora of literary, artistic, and music events that feature the local talent from Medellin. If that sounds like something you would be interested in, here’s the down-low on all the relevant information!

Getting To Libros Antimateria

Libros Antimateria is located in the northern section of the Laureles neighborhood. This area is also known as Estadio due to its proximity to the football stadium of Medellin.

Since it’s in the northern section of the neighborhood, it lies very close to the Estadio Metro Station. This is on the orange line of the Medellin metro and is a convenient method of transportation by which to reach the bookstore.

Once you’re in the vicinity of the bookstore, it can be a bit tricky to spot the place. This is because its façade looks quite similar to many of the residential buildings in the area.

Luckily, there’s a large banner on the corner advertising the bookstore, so keep your eyes peeled for that, and you should have no problem from there.

The store is close to a couple of other things to do, like the football stadium, so there’s the opportunity for multiple outings if you make the journey.

Books, Coffee, Seats, The Works

Libros Antimateria is very spacious in its interior yet feels kind of snug and cozy in the classic bookstore kind of way. The store has a multitude of sections for its literary catalog, with all of the classic categories included. Some of these include:

• Philosophy
• Science and Naturalism
• Classic Lit
• Feminist and Political Theory
• Poetry and Drama
• Colombian Authors
• And More!

On top of all this, there are several sections of the store devoted to selling zines, chapbooks, books, and artworks. They all come from local members of the Medellin creative community.

I found that this element made the store a great resource for tapping into what was happening in Medellin at this current moment. The display of talent from all of the locals was very impressive.

I felt like it gave me a greater insight into the life of the locals and informed me of some of the contemporary aesthetic trends happening in the city.

The store also has a fully-fledged art book and coffee table selection. So it would make a great stop if you were looking to pick up a unique souvenir for either yourself or a loved one.

The bookstore also has a very well-designed and easy-to-navigate online store, so you can peruse the catalog there if you’re interested.

Coffee, Drinks, and Places To Sit

On top of the bookstore, Libros Antimateria also functions as a café and community event center. The environment is quite pleasing if you’re looking for a substitute for your favorite coworking space as well.

The café has a very basic but very cheap selection of coffee and drinks. There are numerous tables scattered about the large central area of the store.

Some of them are located under the open-air patio section of the store. So weather permitting, it would make a great place to chill in the sun while you sip your brew.

I picked up a couple of local volumes from the small English-language section of the store and bought a couple of espressos. I then proceeded to have a wonderful afternoon hanging at the tables, leafing through some great books.

The crowd at the store is very hip and contemporary. I felt like I could be in some coffee shop in the hippest neighborhoods of Portland or Brooklyn or something. That being said, the vibe and atmosphere were very warm and welcoming, without an exclusionary or pretentious air.

A Community Center for Medellin Creatives

Libros Antimateria throws a wide variety of events at its location if you’re interested in some more low-key kinds of parties with a nice indie vibe. I recommend that you stay apprised of the happenings here if that’s your kind of atmosphere.

The easiest way to do this is through Instagram or their website. The store is fairly active with posting about all the events that are going on there. So, if you follow them there, you won’t have to worry about missing out on anything.

The event that I went to was a very cool record swap and selling fair that had a plethora of vendors selling and trading vinyl records.

On top of that, there were very skillful vinyl-only DJs spinning tunes from their collections. It was a great thing to do to pop in and have a couple of beers, listen to the great music, and chit-chat with some of Medellin’s hip underground crowd.

They also have things like poetry readings and art exhibitions for local artists. It all goes down with a very cool DIY feeling aesthetic that I appreciated.

You could tell that Libros Antimateria was a valued community center for the types who congregate here. I found it to be a great path to discovering other local artists and events that I might be interested in here in Medellin. Overall, it’s a welcoming and inspiring space that feels like a hidden gem in a city with some louder voices regarding attractions and nightlife.

Tasty Coffee, Great Books, and Chill Events

Libros Antimateria is a great example of the fact that in a city like Medellin, just when you think you’ve seen everything and done everything, there’s always something hidden away in some corner of the city that’s waiting to be discovered.

In the case of Libros Antimateria, it was right under our proverbial noses. Conveniently located in the Laureles neighborhood, not far from many of the amazing attractions that await you there.

So considering that it’s not far off the beaten path in one of Medellin’s most exciting neighborhoods, I would recommend a trip or two. And, if you’re based out of the Laureles neighborhood, you could easily make it a regular study or coworking venue.

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