AYUBE KHAN is not willing to do away with a book stall he inherited from his late mother, who established the small business in the Vendor’s Arcade more than 40 years ago and is the only surviving bookstall in the establishment.

Recalling his story, Khan said his mother, Sybil Khan, had the stall selling clothing and books since he was eight years old.
As a boy, he attended St. Andrews School in the city, and after classes, of all his siblings, he was the only one who had an interest in the business and used to be there with her every day during weekdays.

He added that when his mother passed away on February 11, 2015, at the age of 74, he took over the small business and kept the doors of the stall open all these years despite it not being a fast-cash-making venture.

“Because of how this business started by my late mother, I never want to do away with this stall and the books. It reminds me of her and the efforts she made to provide for us as a single parent,” he said.

Khan related that even before his mother passed away, she had been sick for about 16 years, and he was always there to assist with the business. He had a vested interest, which he realised he loved.

“As a boy, I used to look forward to going with my mom to the bookstall every Saturday, and of the four siblings, I was the only one who was passionate about books and the stall,” he said.
Khan told Pepperpot Magazine that the business started out as a clothing stall, but his mother had a deep love for reading, and books were her passion back then.
When the opportunity presented itself 46 years ago, on her first trip to Trinidad and Tobago, she bought some books and posted them to Guyana.

It was then that her bookstall business took off, and she began selling books, exchanging books for a small fee until her collection grew to more than 2,000 different books in stock.
Khan explained that his mother also got books from her sister, who was living in the United States, and she sourced and bought books locally from anyone selling them.
He stated that it is just $100 to exchange a book, and he sells books for as low as $100, with the highest price being $1,200.

Keeping the Love for Books Alive
Khan said gone are the days when reading was fundamental for most young people, as today, many are more interested in smartphones and everything online rather than a good paperback novel.

The stall holder pointed out that a few school-aged children would stop by to look at the books, but, often, they would be scolded by their elders and hauled off elsewhere when passing through the Vendor’s Arcade, where his stall is located.

Khan has in stock a wide variety of books, including novels, romance, crime thrillers, and others, such as Jughead and Archie, Reader’s Digest, Nancy Drew, Danielle Steel, Mills and Boon, and James Patterson.

He told Pepperpot Magazine that next month, he will be going on vacation, and he is looking forward to bringing back some books to add to his collection.

A Business Rooted in Family and Hardship
The 59-year-old stated that he is the father of four boys and resides in Eccles, East Bank Demerara.
Khan grew up in a single-parent home where his mother tried her best to provide for them. They lived in modest accommodation in North East La Penitence, Georgetown.

He added that he was four years old when his father walked away and never looked back, leaving his mother to fulfil the role of both parents for him and his siblings.
Khan said things took a turn for the worse when his brother fell ill. While his mother was taking the stairs to seek medical attention for him, she fell.

As a result, she suffered injuries to her knees and was unable to work for months. Back then, they did not know where their next meal would come from.
However, the Sacred Heart Church stepped in after learning of her plight and provided the family with groceries for more than eight months until Khan’s mother fully recovered and went back to work at her stall.

“We had a hard life, being from a single-parent home. When mom got injured and couldn’t provide for us, it was not easy. My mom was a simple woman who worked hard for us because she didn’t have a choice, as the only breadwinner for the home. She originated from Berbice and came to the city in search of a better life when she was 13 years old,” he said.
Khan pointed out that she established her small business via a stall in Vendor’s Arcade and initially sold gents’ clothing until she transitioned into selling books.

He noted that his book stall is open from 10:00 hrs to 15:00 hrs from Monday to Saturday.

Keeping Traditions Alive
The businessman also shared that he walks and sells custard in white, strawberry, caramel, and chocolate flavours at Stabroek Market at 13:00 hrs daily before going home.
Khan has been walking and selling since he was 17 years old, and it is a trade he continued even after taking over the book stall.