16.04.15
www.thebookseller.com
FEATURE JARIR BOOKSTORE
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Saudi Arabia‘s cultural oasis
Among the biggest book chains in Saudi Arabia, Jarir Bookstore has its sights set beyond the kingdom, and as Roger Tagholm discovers, its impressive rate of growth is being underpinned by a burgeoning interest in English-language titles
Headed “Operation Desert Storm”, it thanks the Saudi chain for supplying US troops with books and other items during the first Gulf War in 1990/91. Almost 25 years later, the company has 36 stores across the country and 10 in Riyadh alone. Jarir Bookstore is the leading player in the Saudi Arabian book market and although books may only account for around 8% of its turnover—some £60m last year—they remain the emotional heart of the business.
A
n unusual certificate adorns the wall at the head office of the Jarir Bookstore in Riyadh, the Saudi Arabian capital.
Its flagship branch in central Riyadh, almost in the shadow of the striking “bottle opener” Kingdom Tower, is typical of the retailer’s estate, with the ground floor given over to computer accessories, cameras, mobiles, art and stationery, and books occupying almost all of the huge first floor. Approximately half the stock is in English, with the shelves full of many familiar names. Zoe Sugg’s Girl Online is here and so too are the John Greens, the Grishams, Wimpy Kid, the Ken Folletts and many other bestselling staples. “What’s popular around the world is popular
here as well,” says the chain’s buyer Rumi Izadeen. “Our number one category is Children’s and YA. We’ve only had Girl Online for a couple of months and we have sold 300–400 copies.”
THE GLOBAL MARKET Jarir buys centrally, mainly direct from publishers, either through seeing a dwindling number of reps, via the internet (publishers’ websites and email), or as a result of calls from publishers’ international sales departments. Izadeen also attends Frankfurt Book Fair and BookExpo America, and notes that Saudis
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