At Kuttab Cafe in Uptown Mirdif, coffee and books are rolled into one for book lovers and writers in the UAE. Patrons converge to develop a deeper culture of reading and writing over their favorite cups of coffee.
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00:00It's a cultural cafe, it means mixing articles, good coffee, good books, encouraging reading
00:11in the first place, as well as writing, finding a quiet place to sit, to mingle with the people
00:20in the cultural field.
00:23It's good when culture becomes lifestyle.
00:27We have students who come to study here, we have people who like to read, as well as people
00:32who like to write, and they choose this to be their place.
00:34Basically, all the books here, in the bookshop or in the lounge, it's for reading, you don't
00:39have to buy it.
00:4060% of the books are in Arabic, 40% in different languages.
00:44We have a small committee, we choose the bestseller in Arabic.
00:48Our bookshop has the bestseller in Arabic from different publishing houses in different
00:54Arabic countries.
00:55Plus, if you need any specific book, we order it for you, as well.
00:59Plus, we have here events.
01:02Every Saturday, we do have events, different events.
01:05We have book signing, talk, speeches, we do have movie night here, we have a piano night,
01:12we have book clubs, as well.
01:14This is what makes our place different, the activity, the event that we have, as well.
01:19This is one of the things we do, encouraging the cultural world in UAE, move it a little
01:24bit in a different way, and present it in a very modern way.
01:28So far, people are satisfied when they come to the bookshop.
01:32They like the title, some of them, they chose the title before, some of them, they are looking
01:36for the title, they didn't find it anywhere in the market, they found it here.
01:40We do have over 3,000 titles.
01:43This was my dream.
01:44I was wondering when I used to be a student, you know, why don't we have a place such that
01:48in UAE?
01:49After I graduated, I came here, I said I was searching for such a place I didn't find.
01:54So I decided I will open it by myself.
01:57So I worked for it, you know.
01:58First, I started with the publishing house, and after that, I opened it, like step by
02:03step.
02:04It's like family.
02:05Books become family.
02:06With the family, you need a good place, a safe place, a nice place.
02:10So this is the idea behind it.
02:12I'm a writer, as well.
02:13I write.
02:14I need to read.
02:16I need a place to feel like home.
02:19I need a different option of titles.
02:21We are encouraging reading indirectly, so we could close this gap.
02:26We need to read.
02:29Reading today, it's like life and death, really.
02:32If you read, it will change your life.