Yousuf Book: Binding Shop

Muhammad Yousuf, the founder, started this shop 45 years ago with a single sewing frame and a press. Today, his children run the daily operations, but the philosophy remains: "A book is a body," the elder Yousuf often says. "The pages are the lungs, the spine is the backbone. You wouldn't let a doctor with cold hands touch your spine; don't let a careless printer touch your book's."

Yet, the future is uncertain. The rent in the old neighborhood is rising. The young apprentices he trains rarely stay longer than a month, lured away by the instant gratification of graphic design and e-commerce. When asked if he is sad about the decline of his trade, Yousuf smiles and gestures to a shelf holding a Holy Quran he re-bound forty years ago. “This book fell apart twice,” he says. “I stitched it back. Paper dies. Leather cracks. But the words? The words remain. A binder does not save the paper. He saves the intention to read.”

Building 7 شارع البطولة - Al Zahiyah - E13 - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates Yousuf Book Binding & Printing - Abu Dhabi - 2GIS

specializes in several distinct services: