Nissim – A True Old-School Bookstore

Image by Ana Blagova

If you are in need of a read, don’t do go to the massive bookstore chains, but visit this small book-a-phile paradise. Nissim is named after the father of the great Bulgarian poet, playwright and screenwriter, translator of Shakespeare into Bulgarian, nominee for the Nobel Literature Prize and author of children’s books Valeri Nissim Mevorah – or Valeri Petrov. It is safe to say that without Mr. Valeri Petrov none of us would have grown up the same.

The bookstore belongs to his daughter, also a translator, and I don’t know if she tried to recreate the feel of her family’s study (her grandfather’s typewriter is at the shopwindow), but certainly succeeded in making it a bookish place you can call home.

You will be pleasantly surprised by the reading corner with an armchair and night lamp, and by the erudite salespeople who will let you sink in there for ages. They pride themselves in speaking five different languages – English, French, Russian, Italian and Greek. The foreign language section is small, but truly diverse and as the sign says, “if [your book]‘s not here, we’ll find it”. And you can always come across something else – at last, the pleasure of going through shelves and piles is safe somewhere. They also sell old & used books. Paradoxically, you won’t find any one book of the great poet & translator in English.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Nissim | Art & culture, Shopping | Book BGN 5.00
59, Vassil Levski Blvd | Centre | +35929811912
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 19:00, Sat 11:00 – 17:30

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