Exploring Burma’s Bookshops: Ko Harry’s
Ko Harry’s, named after the taciturn owner, is a new edition to 37th street. After running a pallet stall on Pansodan for 10 years, and supported by friends in the book community Ko Harry opened his eponymous shop in late 2018.
Still finding his feet, Ko Harry gets around 10 to 15 customers a day. With around 7500 books in stock, (this is an estimate, based on ‘bundles, each bundle or white burlap rice sack can hold 150 books, Ko Harry has about 50 bundles) he is still building up his stock, but has a great section on older English language books on Myanmar.
On every visit, I have found something very few other shops have stocked, including 1st issue, 1st volume of several journals all in incredible condition. Unlike many of the second-hand dealers, Ko Harry’s books are often in as good a condition as you could find or expect considering what these older books have been put through over the decades of monsoon and moisture. Also, unlike many of the other shops, Ko Harry has organised his books in a more ‘traditional’ way, here you can browse without fearing you will be crushed by the weight of toppling towers of books.
No. 110, 37th street, lower block (between Mahabandoola and Merchant Street), Kyauktada Township
Open: Daily from 8.30 am to 6.00 pm
Tel. 09 444994437/09 44499443