MALAYSIANSKINI | It is a tale as old as time, true as it can be. Unlike the fictional scene set in a palace that houses a grand library, the independent book store Riwayat - a Malay word for story or fable - is a cosy brick-and-mortar establishment located in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown.

Located within a pre-war building along the bustling Jalan Tun HS Lee, the bookstore’s entrance has a chalkboard sign showing its opening hours and a message, “Welcome book lovers, You are among friends”.

Riwayat itself was founded as a passion project by two friends - Muhammad Nazreen and Engku Roestam Alias - two familiar names within the local book industry through their respective establishments, Bukuku Press and Kedai Buku Titiwangsa.

Stepping inside the square space, first-time visitors will discover that the titles on display are unlike any major chain bookstores.

Its main glass display case marked “Rare Prints & Documents” housed various original...