Founder/Owner: Jennifer Kim
Founded: 2022
Location: Granville Island

Excerpts from Vancouver Magazine:

"Walking through Nooroongji feels much like embarking on a world tour. Vibrant board books offer babies their first words in Korean, Japanese and French. Joyously illustrated picture books tout classic Filipino, Vietnamese and Indian children’s stories. Then there are workbooks for language learners of all ages; explorations of world religions, cuisines, philosophies, myths, art and architecture; a plethora of novels by emerging international authors; and more."

While selecting books for either store, Kim says she looks beyond the heavily marketed bestsellers lists. “I look for beautiful writing, beautiful art and important stories. Stories that aren’t considered mainstream, but they are to a certain culture.”

She also has a keen eye for indigenous writers and joyful works that center the “richness, beauty and talent” of their cultures, she says.

Although she feels confident in the collection she’s amassed so far, Kim says self-funding a niche independent bookstores has been stressful. “I used credit cards,” she sheepishly laughs.

But the response to Nooroongji has been “just magical.”

“To see people’s reaction when they come in, the joy on people’s faces when they see their culture or their language forwarded in such a prominent space, I think that’s the most wonderful feeling,” says Kim, with an air of satisfaction and relief. “It inspires me to keep going, bring in more languages and more unique titles.”