Bukinist: A Quiet Almaty Bookstore Where Time, Stories, and Serendipity Live On

On April 23, Kazakhstan officially marked its first-ever National Book Day. To celebrate the occasion, we stopped by Bukinist, one of Almaty's most beloved second-hand bookstores. Initially opened in 2001 in an underground passage at the intersection of Gogol and Ablai Khan, the store moved to Tole Bi Street in 2017.

Orda.kz spoke with the store’s owner about the family business, the rise and fall of esoterica, and a book priced at 260,000 tenge.

Tucked away in a quiet courtyard at the corner of Tole Bi and Nazarbayev, Bukinist feels like a hidden treasure. From the entrance gate, a turn to the left leads you into a modest basement space filled with the scent of old paper and time.

The narrow aisles are lined with shelves sagging under the weight of books. In one corner, a record player softly spins vintage vinyl, adding to the cozy, nostalgic vibe. The walls are adorned with paintings, clay panels, and photos from all over the world. One standout piece is an old red rotary phone from Tbilisi — a small yet powerful link to the past.

Owner Ksenia Romenskaya-Shakhvorostova chuckles as she watches teens puzzle over the rotary phone.

They press the buttons, not realizing you’re supposed to turn the dial. That’s when you feel like a dinosaur,she says with a warm laugh.  

A Family Story

Bukinist has been a family-owned and operated business for nearly 25 years. It first opened in one of Almaty’s underground walkways in 2001.

My dad dreamed of owning a bookstore since he was a kid. He knew every shop in the city and loved flea markets,
Ksenia says. 

The shop quickly developed a loyal niche following. But in 2017, due to major renovations in the underground system, they had to move out abruptly and look for a new location. The courtyard space initially seemed risky, but they took a chance. That’s when they realized social media would be crucial to their survival.

In 2018, I created our account and we started from scratch. We’d lost most of our old customers and were barely known online. The first year was tough — financially and emotionally,
she recalls. 

Then came the pandemic. To keep the business afloat, Ksenia and her father began offering delivery; first around Almaty, and then to other cities across Kazakhstan.

Today, Bukinist is more than a store — it’s a way of life for Ksenia. But she emphasizes that the second-hand book trade isn’t about money or growth.

You really have to love books, otherwise you won’t last long. I grew up with books always around. I didn’t instantly fall in love with the business, but when my dad got sick and asked me for help, something clicked. It’s like it was in my DNA,
she says with a smile. 

Ksenia’s father, Igor Viktorovich, handles book buying, while she manages sales and runs the store’s social media.

The shop isn’t large, and she has no plans to expand.

This kind of business isn’t wildly profitable or ambitious. You have to accept that. And if you do, it can be something really special,
she says. 

Endless Stories

Bukinist holds over ten thousand books, and there’s no formal catalog. Ksenia keeps it all in her head.

Most books come from private collections. Some are passed down through generations, while others are sold off before moving abroad. Lately, though, they’ve stopped accepting new stock — there’s just no more space.

Sometimes people inherit huge collections — whole apartments filled with books. Or someone’s moving overseas and can’t take them along. Often, older people bring in their libraries because their kids and grandkids don’t read. They want the books to find a new home,
 Ksenia says.

In the past, vintage book lovers were mainly older.

Not anymore.

There’s no one type of customer. Many think used books are for older folks, but we see a lot of young people — even teenagers — who discover us through TikTok or Instagram. There’s definitely a vintage revival happening.

Books with a Past

Rare finds often appear at Bukinist, such as books in Kazakh printed in Latin script, prior to the switch to Cyrillic. That window only lasted from 1918 to 1919, making those editions authentic collectors’ items.

The most expensive book I’ve sold was about 260,000 tenge. It was a historical genealogy of the Kazakh people — incredibly rare,Ksenia says.

And Bukinist sells more than just books. You’ll also find music records, especially from the Soviet era.

Esoteric literature experienced a boom about seven years ago, after which demand dropped, and people began bringing in piles of it. Now, interest is on the rise again.

Over the past year and a half, esotericism is trending again. Maybe it’s connected to the economy, I’m not sure. But what’s certain is that interest in Kazakh literature has grown steadily over the last five years. There’s always someone browsing that section,
 she notes.

Despite the ups and downs in trends, Ksenia says it is clear that people’s buying power has decreased recently.

Books aren’t a priority for many right now, but Ksenia remains hopeful.

I try to stay positive about the future of second-hand bookstores. Bookselling has been around since ancient times. I want to believe it will always be a part of our culture.

Among the thousands of volumes she’s handled, a few moments have stood out.

Sometimes books have personal notes, old photos, or dedications inside. One time, a young woman found a book with her grandmother’s handwriting. Her grandmother had given it away years before — and now it was back in her hands. She cried when she saw it. It was a children’s book, I think. That’s the kind of magic that happens here,
 Ksenia says.

Order in Chaos

Running a second-hand bookstore isn’t just about passion — it also takes serious organization. Ksenia laughs as she describes the aftermath of a busy day.

Every day, she sorts books, assists customers, and updates the store’s social media — a key tool not only for sales but also for staying connected to the community.

Would I do anything differently? Probably not. I love what I do. I’m not aiming to open a second location. I want to focus on this one, putting all my heart into it.

Her words reflect the soul of Bukinist — not a business chasing scale, but a quiet, soulful space where people come not just to buy books, but to feel something.

And sometimes, if you’re lucky, you can witness a little bit of magic — waiting quietly between the pages.

Original Author: Maria Kravtsova