Abu Dhabi's long-awaited Kinokuniya bookstore opens at the Galleria mall

The store brings more than 150,000 titles to its new flagship in the capital

Kinokuniya has finally opened its doors at Abu Dhabi's The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island. Kinokuniya / Instagram 
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Malls across the UAE are starting to get up and running again after a month of closures to help stem the spread of Covid-19.

And residents in Abu Dhabi will find an exciting new addition to The Galleria on Al Maryah Island, as the long-awaited Kinokuniya has finally opened its doors.

Already a firm favourite with book lovers in Dubai, Japanese-founded Kinokuniya is one of the UAE’s most expansive bookstores, bringing more than 150,000 titles to its flagship in the capital.

A customer picks out a book in the Kinokuniya Co. book store at the Aeon Mall in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Sunday, May 26, 2019. Kinokuniya, Japan's largest bookstore chain, opened their first store in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo in January 1927 and now have over 80 stores worldwide, according to the company's website. Photograph: Taylor Weidman/Bloomberg
A customer picks out a book in the Kinokuniya bookshop in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Bloomberg

It was announced last year that Kinokuniya would be joining the expansion of The Galleria, to much excitement from Abu Dhabi residents.

And it officially opened its doors on Wednesday, May 6, on level 3 of The Galleria extension.

Open daily from noon to 9pm, the store provides a space for customers to browse its shelves for hours on end, with plenty of spots to pull up a chair and get lost in one of its many titles.

Announcing the news on Instagram, Kinokuniya said: “Over 150,000 Books, huge Arabic and Children's book section, manga and collectibles, the best stationery from around the world.

“Books Kinokuniya Abu Dhabi is finally OPEN. Only in the fabulous The Galleria Al Maryah Island.”

The news was met with much excitement from followers. “Finally. This is such great news,” wrote one user, while another added, “Can’t wait to visit.”

Kinokuniya also boasts an expansive store at The Dubai Mall, which has now re-opened in line with the new coronavirus regulations for malls across the city.