After a delay due to the coronavirus, Books Kinokuniya has now opened in Abu Dhabi, albeit with some restrictions still in place.
Hiroshi Sogo, Kinokuniya director, said: “After a month and a half delay we are delighted to announce that we have finally managed to open our brand new bookshop in Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE. The store opened on 6 May. It is a partial opening and under certain restrictions due to the current coronavirus circumstances, but we are pleased to report a very positive response from local customers and expats alike.”
The store, situated in the Galleria on the stylish Al Maryah island north east of the city, is spread over two floors and flooded with natural light. The company describes is as ‘an inspired fusion between Japanese and Arabian design in the heart of Abu Dhabi – an ultra modern bookstore complete with comfy stools and even a café a little later in the year’.
Over 150,000 books will be available in Arabic and English. There is a range of exclusive editions of books including the Ferrari by German art book publisher Taschen, that comes encased in the actual motor from a Ferrari. There are also limited signed and numbered editions from Haruki Murakami and Margaret Atwood. The shop also boasts a large range of Japanese manga and associated collectable figurines.
Naoya Hirata, MD of Kinokuniya UAE, said: “We are so excited to expand further in the UAE. Books Kinokuniya has been a haven for booklovers in Dubai and I think our new store is simply stunning, and filled with the best books from around the world. I’m especially proud of the strong Arabic offering. Books are particularly popular at the moment and so it is timely that Abu Dhabi gets a world class bookstore”
Kinokuniya’s Dubai store partially opened last week, as did its store in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The chain’s four stores in Taiwan have been open throughout the crisis because Taiwan has not been locked down. Kinokuniya’s other stores – in Singapore, Thailand, Sydney and the US are still closed. In Japan, only a few of its stores are open, with limited opening hours.
Kinokuniya now has a total of 101 stores, including the new Abu Dhabi store. Of these, 68 are in Japan and 33 are overseas
