There’s something special about walking into a bookstore. The smell of fresh pages, the quiet rustle of discovery, the promise that within these walls lies something that might change the way you see the world. In Eldoret, that experience just got a whole lot closer to home.
Text Book Centre—fondly known as TBC to generations of Kenyans—has opened its 15th branch at Rupa Mall, and it’s more than just another retail expansion. It’s a homecoming of sorts for a brand that’s been quietly shaping Kenya’s educational and creative landscape since 1964.
A Story That Started on Kijabe Street
Picture Kenya in 1964, just one year after independence. Two men—Mr. S V Shah from Fort Hall (now Murang’a) and Mr. M J Rughani from Nyeri—decided to pool their dreams and open a bookshop on Kijabe Street in Nairobi. Sixty years later, that same street still houses TBC’s headquarters, a testament to roots that run deep and a vision that’s stood the test of time.
What began as a modest bookshop has blossomed into East and Central Africa’s leading distributor of educational, cultural, and technological content. But ask anyone who’s grown up in Kenya, and they’ll tell you TBC is more than that—it’s where they bought their first novel, where exam prep began, where creativity found its tools.
Why Eldoret Matters
Eldoret isn’t just another pin on TBC’s expansion map. It’s a city bursting with energy—a fast-growing hub where education meets enterprise, where agricultural innovation sits alongside academic ambition. With Kenya’s education sector receiving 702.7 billion shillings in the current financial year and the new Grade 10 transition on the horizon, access to quality educational resources has never been more crucial.
“Eldoret is a fast-growing hub of education and enterprise, and we’re proud to bring our trusted range of books, stationery, and creative tools closer to the people who power this region’s progress,” says Sachin Varma, CEO of Text Book Centre. “Our goal remains the same—to make learning, creativity, and knowledge more accessible to every Kenyan, wherever they are.”
Beyond the Shelves
Step into the new Rupa Mall branch and you’ll quickly realize this isn’t your traditional bookstore.
Yes, there are books—shelves upon shelves of them, from textbooks to novels, skill development guides to coffee table treasures. But there’s also a curated selection of stationery that makes organization feel like art, craft supplies that turn rainy afternoons into masterpiece moments, and tech accessories for our increasingly digital lives.
This evolution reflects a deeper truth about how we engage with knowledge today.
TBC has transformed from a place where you buy books into a vibrant hub where ideas are exchanged, where students might bump into authors, where imagination collides with reality. It’s where a parent finds the perfect gift, a teacher discovers new classroom resources, and a professional picks up that office essential they didn’t know they needed.
A Partnership with Purpose
Sylvester Metto, County Attorney for Uasin Gishu County, captures the significance perfectly: “This new branch at Rupa Mall represents more than retail expansion—it is an investment in our learners, teachers, and creative community. Access to quality educational and creative resources is central to our vision of building a knowledge-driven county.”
It’s this kind of partnership between private enterprise and public vision that builds communities. TBC doesn’t just sell products; it nurtures the ecosystem that helps a region thrive—supporting schools, enabling creativity, and making sure that whether you’re in Nairobi or Eldoret, quality resources are within reach.
The Future of Knowledge
In an age where everything seems to be going digital, there’s something profoundly hopeful about a bookstore opening its doors. It’s a reminder that physical spaces for learning and discovery still matter, that communities need gathering places where knowledge lives and breathes.
With 14 branches now complemented by a robust e-commerce platform, TBC has found the sweet spot between tradition and innovation—honoring the tactile joy of browsing shelves while acknowledging that borders and boundaries shouldn’t limit access to learning.
For Eldoret’s students preparing for that Grade 10 transition, for artists seeking the right canvas, for professionals building their libraries, and for families looking to spark young imaginations—the message is clear: inspiration has a new address at Rupa Mall.
And sixty years after two visionary men opened a shop on Kijabe Street, their legacy continues to write new chapters across Kenya, one branch, one book, one curious mind at a time.
