StreetArt Bookstore and Cafe, Doğanköy
By Margaret Sheard
The traffic lights at the Bellapais junction in Girne is a normal route we 
take when we are out and about and waiting for the lights to change I noted with interest the demolition of an old building and the appearance of the new StreetArt Bookstore and Cafe which opened earlier this year.
Our friend, Heidi Trautmann, had a book launch at StreetArt shortly after it opened and she has also interviewed the proprietors, Ayşe Yemen and Ayça Sogür Çıralı. The full article appears in Heidi’s website but we have been given permission to use some of the content to advise our readers of this new exciting venture by Ayşe and Ayça. In order to not spoil the enjoyment of reading the whole interview I am giving a small amount of information here and would urge you to read the whole article on Heidi’s website by clicking here.
StreetArt Bookstore and Cafe is situated on the right 
hand side of the road just after the traffic lights when travelling from Girne to Bellapais. There is an off-road parking area and an outside area with a lawn and seating with colourful cushions and umbrellas where you can relax and have a cool drink and something to eat from the menu, which is prepared daily by Ayşe and Ayça. There is also a children’s play area and Ayşe and Ayça recently organised a birthday party with a cake and balloons for their young visitors. When you have had enough of sitting around, that is the time to go into the bookstore and browse through the growing selection of books in Turkish and English. If there is a particular book 
someone wants they will endeavour to get it for them and they also will deliver books to their customers as well as food ordered from their menu. An excellent service.
This is the first Turkish Cypriot bookstore on the northern side of the Kyrenia mountains. There are regular readings of newly published books and also literary meetings and the ladies are also introducing events with music and other types of entertainment for their customers’ enjoyment. A recent event can be viewed on the poster below.
StreetArt Bookstore and Cafe is open Monday to Saturday from 8.00 – 22.00 hrs. You can find them on Facebook – click here – where there is a regular update of books coming in, of reading events and also….very tempting….a photo of the dish of the day. You can call them on the following numbers:
Tel: 0392 815 16 05
Mobile: 0533 857 51 52
We will be writing more soon about this exciting new bookstore/cafe and look forward to giving you more information about StreetArt activities.
