Waterstones bosses took a tour of historic Blackwell's bookshop in Oxford after taking over the family-run chain.
They called at the flagship store in Broad Street today and chatted to staff in different departments.
Blackwell’s, which has a total of 18 bookshops, was bought by Waterstones after its owners abandoned a plan to hand it to employees.
It is understood that Blackwell's will be allowed to continuing trading under its own brand.
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The acquisition by Waterstones will see Blackwell’s in the control of the £38.4bn United States hedge fund Elliott Investment Management, which in 2019 also bought US bookseller, Barnes & Noble.
There are no obvious changes to date inside Blackwell's in Broad Street or at Waterstones.
Kate Skipper, Waterstones' Chief Operating Officer told the Oxford Mail: "The Blackwell's brand and spirit will remain distinct from Waterstones, as remains the case with Foyles.
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"We've had a very positive first week working with the Blackwell's team as we start to understand their business and are looking forward to seeing the bookshelves of Blackwell's full of interesting books once again."
It is understood that staff at Blackwell's have not yet been if any staff changes or redundancies will result from the takeover.
Following the takeover, Blackwell's president Toby Blackwell said Waterstones, which also bought family-owned Foyles in 2018, had shown since that it "understands the advantages and benefits of holding diverse iconic bookselling brands".
He added: "I view them not just as a buyer of the business but as the right buyer at the right time.
"This is a positive outcome for Waterstones, Blackwell's and all our customers in the UK and abroad, who will still be able to enjoy the individual nature of what both brands offer."
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James Daunt, Waterstones' managing director, added Blackwell's is "amongst the most illustrious names in bookselling, a legacy for which we have the utmost respect".
Benjamin Henry Blackwell opened his first bookshop on Broad Street in Oxford on New Year's Day in 1879.
His son Basil joined the company in 1913.
Blackwell's Norrington Room in its Broad Street store was one of the world's largest single displays of books in one room when it was built in 1966.
Built after tunnelling underneath the grounds of Trinity College, Oxford, and named after its then president, Sir Arthur Norrington, it held the world record for the single largest room in the world used to sell books.
As well as the Broad Street store in Oxford, Blackwell's runs a music shop, an art and poster store, and a branch at the Westgate Centre which opened in 2017.
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