Basra’s Al-Ahliya bookstore: a living landmark of cultural history

BASRA – Stepping into Al-Ahliya Bookstore in Basra feels like traveling back to the 1970s. Every morning, readers gather to collect newspapers from this historic establishment, founded in 1928. Initially a hub for textbooks and stationery, the facility transitioned to distributing Iraqi and Arab newspapers in the 1930s, employing over 60 mobile vendors to ensure timely delivery of magazines and newspapers.

In the 1950s, the bookstore became a meeting point for thinkers and locals. Today, it remains a cultural haven, attracting Basra’s poets and writers.

Owner Mustafa Ghazi shared the bookstore’s rich history with 964media. “The bookstore is an important pillar of the book market in Basra, with its shelves holding an archive of rare and old newspapers as well as modern and classic books.”

“My grandfather managed over 60 mobile vendors as Al-Ahliya served as an official newspaper distributor in the Ashar area at the time,” he added.

After Ghazi’s grandfather passed away, his father, Faisal Ghazi Hamoud, took over in the 1970s and managed the bookstore until 2018.

He stated, “In 2016, he decided to establish a publishing house. The first step was printing a book by the short story writer Mohammed Khudair, followed by a collection of essays by the poet Kazem Al-Hajjaj. Later, we published a selection of books that had been out of print for over 60 years.”

Basra writer Basem Al-Qatrani hailed the bookstore as a cornerstone of the city’s intellectual life. “This is one of the oldest bookstores in Basra, a primary resource for valuable books that has attracted the city’s literary elite. It’s a cultural school that has left a luminous mark on Basra’s literary history,” he told 964media.

Historian Mushtaq Idan highlighted the library’s historical significance. “In the 1920s, it provided magazines and textbooks. By the 1950s, it also became a melting pot for intellectuals and politicians,” he explained.