Soma Nami Books, a new bookshop founded by Muthoni Muiruri and Wendy Njoroge, launched in Nairobi, Kenya on Friday, August 6, 2021.
Muthoni Muiruri and Wendy Njoroge met at a book club and made a connection over their shared love of books several years ago. In February 2021, they launched an online bookstore www.somanami.co.ke with a focus on books written by African authors. This past Friday, they took their project to another level as they introduced the physical version of Soma Nami books to the Nairobi book reading audience.
“We started out as a book club, but we had the challenge of accessing the books that we really wanted to read, we therefore figured that we could create a space that caters to other book lovers like us.” Muthoni Muiruri said.
Soma Nami books, located at the Greenhouse Mall, along Ngong road by the Adams Arcade,
is designed with book lovers in mind. Featuring a luxurious seating area and a coffee station, it is the ideal location for book clubs to gather or book lovers to visit and spend their time.
“We strongly feel that anybody who walks into Soma Nami Books will be able to find something that caters to their taste” Ms Njoroge said.
It was a celebration at the open day as book lovers came to the shop which was offering a 10% discount on all titles. Those who came were treated to one of the most Instagram-able spaces around with gorgeous décor. On the walls, you will find paintings of the Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, Maaza Mengiste, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Alaa Al Aswany, Chinua Achebe, and Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi giving memorable quotes.
As previously stated, the hub is located at the Greenhouse Mall, along Ngong road by the Adams Arcade.
Some images from the book store and the launch day.
Wendy Njoroge, James Murua, and Muthoni Muiruri
I can testify that Soma Nami is an intellectual sanctuary hidden from the majority who visit Adam’s Arcade Green House Mall. If you do not have an instinct for books, you will come out of the Green House Mall on Ngong Road, without noticing Soma Nami Book Shop. And yet this exquisitely designed and arranged Book Shop, that also serves as a Book Club, for book lovers, is probably the most diverse book shop in the Heart of Nairobi. Its distinctive character is the wide collection of African writers that include Nigeria’s famous Chimamanda Adiche. The artistic works also tell their own story–the walls are adorned with African literary luminaries such as Ngungi W”Thiongo and Chinua Achebe. The neat book shop looks like African Writers Hall of fame. This is not all, for the serene space also has a coffee place where book lovers can seat comfortably and imbibe a cup of coffee or even a glass of wine, while perusing through some of the best works of literature from all over the world. As the saying goes, “Books are sepulchres of thought”! it is inspiring to find a serene space in the midst of a busy and noisy city as Nairobi. The founders of Soma Nami Wendy and Muthoni have ushered in a literary revolution at a time when social media has driven millions from reading books.It is such small initiatives from ordinary Africans that can usher in the African renaissance. The only way to fight poverty, disease, extremism and prejudice across Africa, is to inspire a culture of reading good books that inspire noble thoughts.