Diwan Bookstore opens Cairo University branch

Based on the idea that a bookstore is more than just titles on a shelf, Diwan aims to make 'book culture' more accessible to Egyptians by providing an attractive venue for community gatherings that include book signings, poetry readings and storytelling for children. By stocking a diverse and up-to-date product mix that includes English and Arabic books, music and DVDs, Diwan Bookstore has effectively merged the best of Western and Eastern literature and artistic culture.

"The formula has proven so successful that today, Diwan Bookstore has grown to include 11 branches in key locations throughout Cairo and Alexandria and are now on their way to expanding to second tier markets. We are particularly proud of the Cairo University location because of the rich history that the University enjoys as a center of secular learning in the Arab world,"

said Nadia Wasset, Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Diwan.

Adds one of Diwan Bookstore's founders and co-owner Hind Wassef, "I have always wanted to open outside our core markets: in the more socially diverse areas of Cairo. For us, Cairo University was an obvious first choice in that direction. With 178,258 students and faculty on hand at any given time, what better place could there be to reach a mass consumer base? We hope that Diwan Bookstore will make a positive contribution to the University and help revitalize a culture of reading amongst its students."

The Cairo University shop includes titles and product offerings tailored to the specific needs of the University's student body. The menu inside the Diwan Café, a mainstay in all of Diwan's branches, combines traditional favorites and quick snacks.

Diwan Bookstore was founded in 2002 as a first-of-its-kind, bookstore in Egypt. Since then, the retailer has evolved into a prominent Egyptian brand with a chain of 11 shops that includes flagship stores in Zamalek, Heliopolis (the largest bookstore in Cairo) and Mohandeseen as well as smaller branches in Alexandria City Center, the Gezira Club and the North Coast. In the future the founders of Diwan Bookstore would like to expand with branches similar to the Cairo University concept in Shubra and at Ain Shams and Assuit Universities.