In 1964, as a newly independent Kenya took its first tentative steps toward nationhood, two businessmen made a quiet pact that would shape the country’s intellectual landscape for decades. S.V. Shah, operating from Fort Hall (now Murang’a), and M.J. Rughani, based in Nyeri, merged their provincial bookshops to form a single entity on Nairobi’s Kijabe Street.

Today, that partnership has evolved into Text Book Centre (TBC), a retail colossus that CEO Sachin Varma says now generates over KES 6 billion (approx. $46 million) in annual revenue. Speaking exclusively to Tuko.co.ke, Varma detailed the company’s journey from a dusty storefront to a 15-branch network, capped by its latest expansion into Eldoret in November 2025.

A Barometer for National Literacy

The growth of TBC is not merely a corporate success story; it is a proxy for Kenya’s exploding demand for education. When President Jomo Kenyatta declared ignorance one of the three enemies of the state in 1963, the private sector had to step up. TBC filled that void, becoming the de facto supplier for generations of Kenyan students.

"By merging the two bookshops, they created a centralised hub for textbooks and learning resources, ensuring students and educators could easily find what they needed to build a literate, educated nation," Varma noted. This mission aligns with the national pulse; in the 2024/2025 financial year alone, the government allocated a staggering KES 702.7 billion to the education sector, signaling that the market for learning materials is far from saturated.

Beyond Books: The Hybrid Strategy

While the Kijabe Street headquarters remains the company’s spiritual home 60 years later, the business model has radically shifted. Varma emphasized that surviving the digital age required pivoting from being a simple bookseller to a purveyor of "educational, cultural, and technological content."

• Diversification: The inventory now spans high-end laptops, art supplies, and office tech, insulating the firm from the volatility of the curriculum textbook market.
• Physical Footprint: The opening of the 15th branch at Rupa Mall in Eldoret signals a push into high-growth counties, moving closer to customers outside Nairobi.
• Digital Integration: Varma argues that physical stores and e-commerce are not enemies. "Customers value the sensory experience of browsing books," he said, advocating for a hybrid model that serves both the traditionalist and the tech-savvy professional.

The Next Chapter

The retail landscape is littered with the carcasses of legacy brands that failed to adapt. TBC’s survival hinges on its ability to serve what Varma calls "customers of the past and customers of the future."

As the company eyes its 70th anniversary, the strategy is clear: dominate the East and Central African market by blending heritage with innovation. "If the last 60 years have taught us anything," Varma reflected, "it's that when we stay true to our mission, the future is always bright."