Exclusive Books
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedExclusive Books is a South African bookselling chain with stores in South Africa and additional locations in Botswana and Namibia.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Exclusive Books is one of South Africa's best-known specialist bookselling chains. The business began in 1951 when Pam Joseph, working with Pauline Joseph, acquired a small second-hand bookshop in central Johannesburg and gave it the Exclusive Books name. Pauline Joseph's son, Philip Joseph, subsequently expanded the operation, opening a second branch in Hillbrow in 1954. The Hillbrow location benefited from extended evening and Sunday trading and helped establish the company as a destination retailer in a dense urban market. The chain developed through a combination of branch expansion, curated book retailing, customer events and supplementary services. Its Hyde Park store became the group's flagship in 1993 after the Hillbrow shop closed, and was described at the time as the largest bookshop of its kind in Southern Africa. Exclusive Books also invested in customer retention and retail experience. In 1998 it introduced the Fanatics loyalty programme, which had grown to approximately 170,000 members by 2001. In 1999, cafés operated under the Seattle Coffee Company name were added beside 18 stores, linking book retail with longer customer visits and an informal social environment. The brand has also participated in South Africa's literary culture. Until 2012, it sponsored the annual Exclusive Books Boeke Prize. Its public-facing activities have included author events, book launches and partnerships with cultural organisations. In 2017, the Market Theatre Foundation partnered with Exclusive Books. During the COVID-19 period, the company announced in June 2020 that forthcoming book launches would be hosted online through Zoom in order to comply with public-health regulations. Exclusive Books has maintained a social-impact presence through the Exclusive Books Reading Trust, established in 2002 to formalise the company's support for literacy, libraries and reading projects. The trust has supported library development in Cape Town and Limpopo and has donated books to organisations and charities. The initiative reflects the brand's positioning not only as a retailer but also as a participant in the development of reading culture in South Africa. The company has changed ownership and corporate structure during its history. It was previously associated with Times Media Group, following Times Media's control of Avusa. In September 2013, Times Media announced the sale of Exclusive Books and sister company Van Schaik Bookstore to a private consortium led by Medu Capital for R435 million. The transaction concluded in late 2013, after which the business briefly used the legal trading name Jadeite Trading (Pty) Ltd trading as Exclusive Books before being re-registered as Exclusive Books Group (Pty) Ltd. In August 2014, the company announced a refreshed brand and a shift in corporate focus, including the introduction of its own café concept, EB Café. The chain also developed an online retail presence. Its first e-commerce website went live in 1999. A later platform, launched in 2010 under the exclus1ves.co.za address, was described as one of South Africa's early e-commerce sites to use gamification. The business subsequently operated its online store through exclusivebooks.co.za. Its principal offer remains physical and digital book retail, supported by stationery, gifts, loyalty activity, cafés, author programming and online commerce where available.
History
Exclusive Books traces its origins to 1951, when Pam Joseph and Pauline Joseph acquired a small second-hand bookshop in central Johannesburg and renamed it Exclusive Books. The business expanded under Philip Joseph, who opened a Hillbrow branch in 1954. Hillbrow was then a densely populated urban district, and the store's late-night and Sunday opening hours helped the company compete for convenience and visibility. The chain continued to develop as a multi-branch specialist bookseller. The Hillbrow store closed in 1993, the same year that the Hyde Park branch became the company's flagship. At that time, the Hyde Park shop was regarded as the largest bookstore of its type in Southern Africa. The company later added customer-retention and experiential elements to its retail model. Fanatics, its loyalty programme, was launched in 1998 and reached about 170,000 members by 2001. In 1999, Seattle Coffee Company cafés were introduced alongside 18 stores. The business also launched its first e-commerce site, exclusivebooks.com, in 1999. In 2010, the online operation was replaced by exclus1ves.co.za, a platform noted for incorporating gamification, and the company later used exclusivebooks.co.za for its online shop. Exclusive Books has supported literary and cultural activity through events, sponsorships and partnerships. It sponsored the Exclusive Books Boeke Prize through 2012. In 2017, it partnered with the Market Theatre Foundation. When public-health rules restricted physical events in 2020, the company moved planned book launches to Zoom. Social responsibility became more formally organised in 2002 with the creation of the Exclusive Books Reading Trust. The trust supports literacy, library and reading projects in South Africa. Its reported work includes establishing libraries in Cape Town and Limpopo and donating books to charities and other organisations. Ownership changed substantially in 2013. The business had previously been owned by Times Media Group after that group took control of Avusa. In September 2013, Times Media announced that Exclusive Books and Van Schaik Bookstore would be sold to a private consortium led by Medu Capital for R435 million. Following completion, Exclusive Books briefly traded under the name Jadeite Trading (Pty) Ltd trading as Exclusive Books, before being re-registered as Exclusive Books Group (Pty) Ltd. In August 2014, the company announced a new brand identity and a revised corporate focus, including EB Café. The brand remains a South African bookselling business with stores across South Africa and additional stores in Botswana and Namibia.
- 2020
Book launches move online
[1]Upcoming launches are moved to Zoom during COVID-19 restrictions.
- 2017
Market Theatre Foundation partnership
[1]The Market Theatre Foundation enters into a partnership with Exclusive Books.
- 2014
EB Café and refreshed brand announced
[1]Exclusive Books announces a new brand direction and launches its own café concept, EB Café.
- 2013
Ownership transfers to a private consortium
[1]Times Media sells Exclusive Books and Van Schaik Bookstore to a private consortium led by Medu Capital.
- 2010
Gamified e-commerce platform introduced
[1]The company replaces its original online store with exclus1ves.co.za, described as an early South African e-commerce site to incorporate gamification.
- 2002
Exclusive Books Reading Trust is established
[1]The company formalises its literacy and reading-related social-impact work through the Exclusive Books Reading Trust.
- 1999
Online retail and adjoining cafés expand the format
[1]The company launches its first e-commerce site and introduces Seattle Coffee Company cafés beside 18 stores.
- 1998
Fanatics loyalty programme launches
[1]Exclusive Books introduces the Fanatics customer loyalty programme.
- 1993
Hyde Park becomes the flagship
[1]The Hillbrow store closes and the Hyde Park store becomes the group's flagship location.
- 1954
Hillbrow branch opens
[1]Philip Joseph opens a further branch in Hillbrow, expanding the young bookselling business.
Products and positioning
A curated South African bookseller combining specialist book retail, literary discovery, customer events, loyalty services, online commerce and a reading-oriented social mission.
Bookselling · 1951
Books
The core Exclusive Books assortment comprises fiction, non-fiction, literary works, children's titles, young-adult books and selected academic or educational publications. The chain combines South African and international publishing and presents itself as a curated specialist retailer rather than a general merchandise supermarket. Store ranges may be supported by author events, recommendations and online discovery.
Loyalty programme · 1998
Fanatics
Fanatics is Exclusive Books' customer loyalty programme, introduced in 1998. It was designed to encourage repeat purchasing and strengthen the relationship between the chain and regular readers. Reported membership reached approximately 170,000 by 2001.
Café · 2014
EB Café
EB Café is the company's own café concept, announced as part of a refreshed brand and corporate direction in 2014. It follows the earlier use of adjoining Seattle Coffee Company cafés at a number of Exclusive Books stores and supports an experience-oriented bookstore format.
E-commerce · 1999
Online store
Exclusive Books has operated online retail since 1999. Its e-commerce activity moved through more than one platform, including a 2010 site associated with gamification, and later operated through exclusivebooks.co.za.
Marketing campaigns
- 2020Online book launches
South Africa
During COVID-19 restrictions, Exclusive Books planned to host upcoming book launches through Zoom rather than in physical venues.
Outcome. The change allowed launch programming to continue while complying with applicable COVID-19 regulations.
- 2017Market Theatre Foundation partnership
South Africa
Exclusive Books partnered with the Market Theatre Foundation, linking the bookseller with a prominent South African cultural institution.
- 2002Exclusive Books Reading Trust
South Africa
Exclusive Books established the Reading Trust to support literacy, libraries and reading projects. Reported activities include library creation in Cape Town and Limpopo and recurring book donations to organisations and charities.
Outcome. The trust became the company's formal vehicle for reading-related social responsibility, although no consolidated impact figures are provided in the reference material.
Brand decisions
2020
Book launches shifted to ZoomOtherBackground
COVID-19 regulations restricted conventional in-person events.
Action taken
Exclusive Books announced that upcoming book launches would be hosted online through Zoom.
Aftermath
The measure enabled launch events to continue in a virtual format during the restrictions.
2014
Brand refresh and own café conceptStrategyBackground
Following the ownership transition, Exclusive Books announced a change in corporate focus and a new brand presentation.
Action taken
The company introduced EB Café as its own café brand and communicated a refreshed identity.
2013
Sale to a Medu Capital-led consortiumM&ABackground
Exclusive Books was previously associated with Times Media Group following that group's control of Avusa. Times Media announced the sale of Exclusive Books and sister company Van Schaik Bookstore to a private consortium.
Action taken
The businesses were sold to a consortium led by Medu Capital. Exclusive Books subsequently operated briefly under the Jadeite Trading legal name before becoming Exclusive Books Group (Pty) Ltd.
Aftermath
The transaction moved the chain from Times Media ownership to private ownership and was followed by a 2014 brand and corporate-direction refresh.
Reported transaction value. R435 million (2013 sale announcement)
Sources2 sources
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