ABOUT US

 

Who are we?

Kingston Bookshop (KB) is the Caribbean’s largest book store with thousands of items in stock and ready to ship. We sells books, stationery, electronics, games and gifts to customers in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean from our online store, distribution centres, retail locations and our Sales Office in Kingston Jamaica.

At KB, we are committed to giving our customers great value. We continually seek to provide creative and innovative products to our customers while offering exceptional customer service.

 

How We Started

In 1974, Leslie Ridout and Steadman Fuller Snr., co-founders of Kingston Bookshop (KB), opened our first retail store in Downtown, Kingston Jamaica. Since then KB has grown to not only offer retail services but also a vibrant B2B department that sells to thousands of customers, throughout Jamaica and the Caribbean.

We’ve been Jamaica’s premier retailer of books and stationery for almost 50 years. We started with a small team in 1974 to almost 200 staff decades later. There are eight retail stores, six of which are located in Kingston and the others in the parish of St. Catherine; and for customers who prefer to shop online, they do so through our e-commerce website.  Our Sales Office serves thousands of B2B customers, e.g. resellers, offices, and schools to name a few, from all across Jamaica and the Caribbean who have volume requirements.

Breaking the barriers of being a “traditional bookstore”, we’ve made strides in satisfying our customers’ needs by creating delightful reading corners, where children can come and read, and also participate in regular reading sessions. In addition, through our cyber centres located in seven retail stores, customers have access to the internet and diverse printing services.

 

Our Partners

Over the years, KB has amassed exclusive distribution rights to an enviable portfolio of publishers and stationery manufacturers. Our publishing partners include Macmillan Caribbean Publishers, Oxford University Press, Roblitz Enterprises Ltd., RCM Music Foundation, Bluetang, SunZone, Sugar Bee and Royards Publishing. Our stationery partners include manufacturers such as Acco Brands, Maped, MonAmi, Stabilo, Astra, Navneet, Lestert Impex, Helix and Changsha Imports.

 

What We Believe In

Honesty and Integrity

We believe in operating with honesty and integrity and in an  ethical manner

Service and Loyalty to Our Customers

We are dedicated to offering quality and exceptional customer service to our customers

Respect

We will endeavour to maintain an environment that respects the well being of our customers, stakeholders and employees

Empowerment

We will provide an environment that allows for inclusiveness, growth and development of our employees

 

The KB team strongly believes in being a good corporate citizen by contributing to national development and enriching the lives of the communities we serve.  As such, this family-run business has embarked on various projects that include: library upgrades, scholarships, establishing a HW Centre, among other initiatives.