New Pop-Up South Asian Bookstore Debuts
September 13, 2022
Contact:
Ryanna Quazi – (972) 251-9820, kahinibook94@gmail.com
New Pop-Up South Asian Bookstore Debuts
Washington, D.C. — Ryanna Quazi is starting her next chapter of entrepreneurship with Kahini Books, a new popup bookstore in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
The 27-year-old Texas native and current D.C. resident launched Kahini Books in May 2022 and debuted in person on May 15, 2022, with her first pop-up at Asian Festival on Main, a one-day outdoor family event on Main Street in Historic Old Town Fairfax City.
Quazi said her passion for books spans a lifetime. “I’ve loved reading since I was a child growing up in Texas. Books have been my savior in some of the worst times of my life, said Ryanna. “I had dreamed of owning a bookstore since my college years, but the idea of a South Asian and lesser-known book-focused store came to me later on. I was reading a lot of books by both South Asian and non-South Asian authors that were not getting the recognition they deserve.”
Kahini Books will feature an ever-rotating selection of titles including adult fiction, young adult fiction, children’s books, memoirs, biographies, and nonfiction books. At Kahini, while she will stock brand new books, most of Kahini’s selection is gently used or used and costs 15 dollars or under.
The mission of Kahini is to offer new and used titles from South Asian writers, as well as other lesser-known fiction by authors from other communities.
Selection, Quazi said, will include a mix of her own curated titles and community-sourced suggestions.
“I try to source South Asian books across all genres, regardless of whether it has been on the top ten of NY Times or US Today Bestseller list. If it’s a non-South Asian book, I really try to source books that have not been in the top ten of the NY Times or USA Today Bestseller list,” she said. “I’ve also had the pleasure of being able to work with some up-and-coming local South Asian authors by purchasing books from them directly to sell in my store. I absolutely love being able to directly support and champion the work of local authors, especially those of South Asian descent.”
The response to Kahini Books has already been unprecedented, having held additional successful pop-ups at Neighbors DC market in Georgetown and Around the World Cultural Festival in Alexandria.
“It is amazing to see that Kahini has already grown since I first started. I’ve gotten to the point where I have returning customers from my previous pop-ups, which is such an amazing feeling as a new small business. I feel like the bar is set higher and higher for each pop-up that we have,” she said.
Kahini Books plans to grow even further soon by adding more book-related merchandise like handcrafted bookmarks, customized water bottles, customized t-shirts, and more. Long term, Kahini Books would love to become a brick and mortar store where people can come together every day to celebrate books, representation, and underrated stories.
To learn more about Kahini Books, including their upcoming pop-ups in our area, visit their website at kahinibooks.online or follow them on and Instagram.
About Kahini Books
Kahini Books is an online/pop-up bookstore that highlights South Asian fiction & other lesser-known fiction by authors from other communities. Books are mainly used, but some are new. Most books are priced at $15 or less, with some being higher. Kahini Books also has a Personalized Recommendation Survey that you can take to find the perfect book for you. The company ships to the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. Pick-up is available in the Washington, D.C. area.
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