Thursday, September 14, 2006

My Shop around the Corner


When I was studying for my Masters in Pennsylvania, there was a cozy little bookstore near campus where I found pleasure browsing through its row upon row of books scattered in a seemingly random fashion. The intimacy of this small, non-chain-style bookshop made it a frequent hub for a few students, like myself, who, though awed by places like Barnes and Noble and Walden books, nevertheless found this friendly place more appealing to the mind/eye.

A few years later Meg Ryan reminded me of that place in her own Shop around the Corner. I was again lured by the idea of a small, snug, selective bookshop that serves its customers both books and expertise on these books. A cup of tea of coffee accompanying that expertise would make it more inviting for customers too, allowing them to ‘hang out’ while looking for books.

And then Shurouq introduced me to Qurtas. Being mainly a reader of English literature, I was not previously familiar with the place. And though I went there only once or twice, I find that this store does seem to offer a more or less similar version (if in Arabic) of what I want in a bookshop as it provides a few seating arrangements for its customers. The difference is in the atmosphere that Arabic books provide, different from that of English prints.

I want my own little shop around the corner, more intimate than Virgin and Jareer, more international than Qurtas, and feeding both brains and taste buds.

This post is dedicated to Shopa who reminded me that it's time for a new post. And what better than a post about a shop for our very own Shopaholic?

13 comments:

Jacqui said...

Did you ever pass by Q8Books? It's a nice bookstore, I liked how its in a corner itself and stuff like that ;P


Need the address just ask and I'll point u to where it is, if not then check out their online website which tells you what books they've got well some of them www.Q8books.com

Jandeef said...

Did you know you can hang out at Qurtas and order Chay 7aleeeb from the neighboring Gahwat Bu Nashi by phone and they deliver it?!

That's the oldest Kuwaiti "coffee shop", so it adds to the experience.

Hanan said...

shopa. Let's make that our new rally. What color should we use this time? purple?

jacqui. Thanks for the info. I don't know the place but the website looks promising. I'll check it out soon.

jandeef. shawagti for a visit there again. It think I'll make some time to check that chai-7aleeb next week.

3asal. it's at mubarakia, the old souk place. check it out. I'm a late Arabic book reader myself. I think Amin Maalouf was my initial entrance into that.

White Wings said...

this has been my long-lost project ever since I came back to Kuwait, and hubby makes fun of it. He asks who would buy a book from you if they can read it while sipping tea at your store?
yout think he's right?
I also am still thinking about the tea store, remember that one? :)

antihero said...

Right across Qurtas... Dar Dawood. Antique books.. English, Arabic, French, Turkish, German.. antique posters, antique buttons! And antique magazines and newspapers.

http://268s.blogspot.com/2006/08/o-saki.html

Alia said...

I'm ashamed .. I like arabic books but never been to Qurtas ... take me with u ... will u?

as for the Meg Ryan's bookshop .. I loved it ...

عندي خوش فكرة... نطلع شروق من دارها ونحول دارها لمكتبة صغيرونة
& ta da .. the perfect cozy bookshop around the corner

Mohammad Al-Yousifi said...

شخصيا لا زلت افضل امازون

امس طالب 11 كتاب منهم, فعلا مخترع هالسايت انقذ حياتي

مشكلة جرير و فيرجن ان التشكيلة قليلة جدا و قديمة نوعا ما , و أخيرا معظم الكتب الممتازة ممنوعة بالكويت

أذكر قبل كم سنة صارت ضجة على الكتب الممنوعة و تسربت لستة الكتب الممنوعة

معظمها يدور في فلك اللاهوت و فلسفة الأديان و هالسوالف

من بين مئة كتاب , لقيت بس واحد فعلا يستحق المنع و هو الكموسوترا

لووول

يستاهل المنع لأني ألريدي شاريه من لندن

أمازون و نيل و فرات أفضل الموجود حاليا

phoenix said...

If you find a "shop around the corner" here in kuwait, would you let me know?

Sedna said...

Waiting for that bookstore to open ;)

ScarlO said...

me too! me too!
(ahem, seconding sedna)

Anonymous said...

shall i tell u something? ur blog is so beautiful. my fav. though, something here is bothering me, u know the post titled CHinese Film week? there is a nasty comment by an it, called alzamamer. it doesn't deserve to be on ur blog. would u please delete it? ur blog is too dear to let dust accumulate in its corners. sorry if i sounded bossy :/

ولاّدة سابقاً ... رانيا السعد ...رانية المنيفي حسب الأوراق الرسمية said...

أمنية حياتي
أن تنشر لي دار قرطاس رواية

ما له علاقة بموضوعك بس دامنا نتكلم عن الأحلام فهذا حلمي

The Simper said...

a friend of mine with his partners are trying to have this little cozy corner bookstore .. they almost done everything.. except the governmental routine!

check this site..

http://www.readersvillage.com

and they got the idea after the movie "uv got mail"

i still keep wishing them the best of luck with the licensing procedures thingy in our advanced governemt that pushes our people for those lovely projects!!