Flood aftermath could force My Bookshelf bookstore to close its doors. UPDATE (Feb. 25, 2026)

My Bookshelf bookstore on Teatralna Street in Kyiv suffered significant damage from a heating system malfunction. Hot water and steam ruined most of the books.

According to owner Natalia Mospan, the past two years have been very challenging for the bookstore, yet the team kept working. “The end of the story. There’s a flood that we are unlikely to survive. The last two years have been extremely difficult for the bookstore on Teatralna Street. We did our best to not give up because for us, this is history. Its value is not in square meters, not in fashionable renovations, but in the mission ignited by the Revolution of Dignity. This is my personal attempt, through my efforts and the efforts of everyone who was part of My Bookshelf, to free our country from Russian occupation.”

The bookstore opened in 2016 and positioned itself as the first in Ukraine with a completely Ukrainian-language assortment: “In 2016, it became the first bookstore in the country with 0% Russian-language books. Every square meter of this bookstore contained nothing in Russian. It was a fortress that resisted constant incursions of the ‘Russian world.’ From hundreds of Ukrainian-language books on the shelves to thousands. Not with a sword, but with love and respect, day after day, through pain and tears, we built our own little world.”

On the night of Feb. 16, a heating pipe in the bookstore burst. According to Mospan, hot water gushed from the wall, forming thick steam that effectively destroyed the book collection.

RELATED: Ukrainian publisher launches children’s book publishing house in France

“The damage is enormous. I still don’t fully understand what happened as I am trying to come to terms with this pain. The reason is simple: a heating pipe burst in the riser,” said Mospan.

Many books, now damaged beyond repair, cannot be sold or returned to suppliers, leaving the bookstore with significant financial obligations to publishers.

Pavlo Shved, founder of the Komubook publishing house, wrote: “I have already informed Mospan, the owner of the bookstore, that Komubook does not need to be compensated for the damaged copies. I urge my fellow publishers to do the same. I am confident that for each of us, this will not be a critical loss, but for the bookstore, it will be a great support.”

In 2023, 78 libraries received books thanks to My Bookshelf publishing house and the Howard Buffett Foundation.

My Bookshelf bookstore on Teatralna Street in Kyiv, which suffered significant damage from a heating system malfunction, has announced its reopening.

“On February 21–22 our bookstore on Teatralna Street will again welcome visitors despite the recent flooding. The space is not yet in perfect condition, but we really want to get back to life and see you,” a representative of the bookstore wrote.

During the reopening days, visitors will be offered so-called “bath” copies—books that were saved from the flood—at special prices. The team highlights that purchasing books during this period is a direct way to support the bookstore, which is facing one of the toughest moments in its 10-year history.

RELATED: The will to rebuild: Why the Ukrainian publishing industry keeps on going

Images: Natalia Mospan Facebook page

Copy editing: Sheri Liguori, Joy Tataryn