Between The Lines Bookshop
By Jules
Published On 06/10/2020
If I could use one word to describe Between The Lines bookshop, it would be ‘beautiful’. Honestly this is one of the most beautiful spaces a book lover could ever experience. The aesthetic of this bookshop is like no other I have seen. From the tall shelves to the beautiful artwork done on the floors of the bookshop, this space gives off a very calm ambiance which makes your cruising and buying experience all the more fascinating.
The books stocked in Between The Lines bookshop are of such a large variety that I believe it must be the most diverse bookshop I have come across so far. The bookshop boasts of having an array of books in fiction, non-fiction, biographies, politics, arts, cookery, gardening, architecture and so on. The chances of you walking out of this place without getting what you were looking for are minimal. To my extreme delight, when I inquired which books sell pretty quickly, I was told that the Africana section of the bookstore performs very well. It will always make my heart happy to know that readers in Kenya continue to support local authors and those within the continent.
A unique point for this bookshop is that they are well stocked with comic books. The bookshop is an active participant in Comic-cons and a definite go-to for cosplay lovers in Kenya. While I do not know too much about this world as it is not my cup of tea, I am confident that no other bookshop I have come across in my tours so far does this.
Something that I found curious about this bookshop is that they do not offer online purchase and delivery services. I know. You are probably wondering why they are not keeping up with the current times right? I wondered the same until Mr. Zahid, manager of the bookshop, explained the reason behind their choice. Between The Lines Bookshop believes in the whole experience gotten from physically being in a bookshop and browsing the shelves until you settle on the books you would love to purchase. This feeling cannot be gotten from an online purchase. Additionally, people are encouraged to visit the store as there are available personnel with whom you can have bookish discussions about a book or a genre before making your purchase. I honestly endorse this stand!
I found it both interesting and cool that the store has several well placed antique stools in the middle of their bookshelves which one can use to do some light reading while in the store. Is this what heaven is? Because spending some time doing light reading in such a lovely bookshop is something I would do any day! These stools are also awesome for good bookish photos (just saying)!
In terms of pricing, I would say that the books are within the normal price range as compared to other bookshops in Nairobi. As a matter of fact, I tend to think they lean towards the cheaper side of the scale in terms of book prices. Your wallet will not suffer, relax.
Between The Lines bookshop is located on the first floor of Village Market. You can learn more about the bookshop through their Instagram and Facebook pages. I 100% recommend this bookshop, especially because I want everyone to experience its beauty!
