A bookstore chain that began as a single shop on a dusty Dubai road in the 1970s marked its 50th anniversary this week.
Magrudy’s, now a familiar name to many readers, parents, students and teachers in the UAE, opened its first store in 1975.
Its golden jubilee was celebrated on Friday by the Abulhoul family, staff and community members who have been part of the bookstore’s journey.
Mansoor Abulhoul, the UAE’s Ambassador to the UK and son of co-founder Isobel Abulhoul, posted on X to mark the occasion.
“Fifty years of stories, learning and family – from one small bookstore to a UAE institution,” he said.
“So proud to celebrate Magrudy’s 50th anniversary today with family, friends and generations who’ve shared in its journey. From our family to yours.”
Family-friendly atmosphere
When Magrudy’s opened, the UAE was developing its schools, cultural spaces and institutions. Access to books, particularly children’s books and educational resources, was limited.
Ms Abulhoul said in an earlier interview with The National that the idea for Magrudy’s began shortly after she helped found Dubai’s Al Ittihad Private School in 1975.
With two young children, she was focused on education and the need for families to access learning materials.
“I had absolutely no retail experience. I wasn’t even thinking about that. By the time we launched the school I had two young children, so education was very much on my mind,” she said.
“And once we opened the school, I started thinking about how we needed a place where families can get books and educational toys, so we then set up Magrudy’s.”
The first Magrudy’s store in Jumeirah stood out for its inviting, family-friendly atmosphere.
Its walls were adorned with colourful murals of animals and playful creatures, while shelves were lined with books and toys arranged to suit young readers.
“There was plenty of space and lots [of items] at child’s eye level,” said Ms Abulhoul.
The shop offered a wide range of classic educational toys, from Lego and Playmobil to wooden puzzles, rocking horses and board games such as Snakes and Ladders and chess.
Behind the main area, shelves were filled with children’s books, including timeless favourites and hand-picked titles sourced directly from international catalogues.
Literary launch pad
Over the years, Magrudy’s grew from a neighbourhood shop into a multi-branch bookstore chain with branches in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.
It brought international writers to the UAE long before major literary festivals existed. It also hosted some of the country’s earliest book clubs and author events, including a session with Paulo Coelho in 2005.
While the Abu Dhabi and Sharjah book fairs were focusing mostly on trade, Magrudy’s author meet-and-greets laid the groundwork for what eventually became the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.
Magrudy’s was the first book chain in the UAE to stock JK Rowling’s debut novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, published in 1997.
“I knew this was the beginning of some kind of phenomenon when two of my children found this book while we were on holiday in Cambridge,” Ms Abulhoul said. “They were so entranced with it, I had to buy them a separate copy each because they couldn’t share it.
“When I came back to Dubai, I immediately imported more copies to the stores, and we went on to eventually sell something like 5,000 copies of it.”
To celebrate its golden jubilee, Magrudy’s is offering 50 per cent off across all branches on Sunday, November 2.
Loyal customers have taken to social media to congratulate the store, sharing memories of their visits over the years.
One user wrote on Instagram: “I remember my first visit to Magrudy’s in Jumeirah in the mid-1990s – fun memories.”
Another Instagram user said: “My favourite neighbourhood shop since I was a child.”
