Maghreb Bookshop

The Maghreb Bookshop (also styled Librairie du Maghreb) is a specialist bookseller based at 45 Burton Street in London, United Kingdom. Established in 1987 and run by proprietor Mohamed Ben-Madani, it describes itself as a publisher, valuer and supplier of new, rare and out-of-print scholarly books on the Maghreb, the Middle East, Islam and Africa. Its motto, printed in both English and French on its website, is "HERE YOU CAN FIND THE UNFINDABLE" / "VOUS Y TROUVEREZ L'INTROUVABLE...". The shop operates both as a physical premises in the Bloomsbury area of central London and as an online store. Its website offers a browsable and searchable catalogue, a special offers page, and a shopping basket with credit-card payments processed securely through PayPal. The business positions itself as a source for difficult-to-find academic and scholarly material relating to North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Islamic studies. Beyond retail, the Maghreb Bookshop acts as a publisher and valuer, indicating a role in the production and appraisal of specialist books as well as their sale. Its proprietor, Mohamed Ben-Madani, is the named owner and point of contact for the business. The bookshop has attracted some media attention: its website notes that it was featured in the London Evening Standard on 15 June 2016 and appeared on Sky Television on 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 July 2005. The building at 45 Burton Street also has a historical association with notable former residents, including Thomas Wilson, a Nonconformist benefactor and a founder of London University (resident 1829–42), the novelist Leitch Ritchie (1845), and the archaeologist Joseph Burtt (1846–49). As a small, independent specialist retailer, the Maghreb Bookshop serves scholars, collectors, libraries and institutions seeking rare and out-of-print works in its subject areas. It remains active, with its website stating that it will be updated regularly.

The Maghreb Bookshop was established in 1987 in London, United Kingdom. It occupies premises at 45 Burton Street, London WC1H 9AL, a building with a notable historical lineage: the website records that Thomas Wilson, a Nonconformist benefactor and a founder of London University (1764–1843), lived above the shop from 1829 to 1842; the novelist Leitch Ritchie (1800?–65) resided there in 1845; and Joseph Burtt, an archaeologist and assistant record keeper at the Public Record Office (1818–76), lived there from 1846 to 1849. From its founding, the business specialised in scholarly books concerning the Maghreb, the Middle East, Islam and Africa. It developed a reputation as a source for new, rare and out-of-print titles, adopting the bilingual motto "HERE YOU CAN FIND THE UNFINDABLE" / "VOUS Y TROUVEREZ L'INTROUVABLE...". The shop is run by proprietor Mohamed Ben-Madani, who is also named as the owner and contact. In the 2000s the bookshop gained broadcast exposure, appearing on Sky Television on 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 July 2005. It was later featured in the London Evening Standard on 15 June 2016. The business expanded its reach through an online presence, offering a browsable and searchable catalogue, a special offers page, and an online shopping basket with credit-card payments handled securely by PayPal. The website states that it will be updated regularly. Over the decades, the Maghreb Bookshop has served scholars, collectors, libraries and institutions, positioning itself as a specialist publisher, valuer and supplier. It remains an active independent bookshop in central London.

• 2016

  Featured in the London Evening Standard on 15 June.

• 2005

  Appears on Sky Television on 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 July.

• 1987

  The Maghreb Bookshop is established in London.

Specialist, independent bookseller and publisher for scholarly material on the Maghreb, Middle East, Islam and Africa, emphasising the ability to source hard-to-find titles.

• New scholarly books on the Maghreb, Middle East, Islam and Africa

• Rare and out-of-print books

• Publishing and valuation services

1. 1The Maghreb Bookshop / Librairie du Maghreb – official websitemaghrebbookshop.com
2. 2Maghreb Bookshop – Wikidatawikidata.org