User:Van Schaik Bookstore/Van Schaik Bookstore

On 1 July 1914 Johannes Lambertus van Schaik opened a small bookstore specialising in Christian literature, magazines and stationery in Church Street, Pretoria. The following year the first book with the JL van Schaik imprint was published. This was the first of many: school textbooks in 1918, a small bilingual dictionary (Kritzinger & Steyn) in 1921, followed by its first North-Sotho publication, MJ Madiba's Tsiri in 1942.

At the end of the fifties more branches were opened in Sunnyside and Hatfield in Pretoria. Hans and Jan van Schaik sold the business to Via Afrika, the Naspers book division, in 1986.

Van Schaik Bookstore was acquired by Avusa Retail in October 2007.

Van Schaik Bookstore operates a total of 53 stores across South Africa which is further enhanced by a dedicated customer call centre and online store, www.vanschaik.com that offer a service to both lecturers and students. Van Schaik Bookstore services over 700 000 students annually and the stores are based on the campuses of South Africa's major tertiary institutions or within walking distance from campuses or learning centres.