Karoo Artist’s Café

21/09/2026

07/09/2026

Books Return to an Old Classroom in Philippolis

There was something wonderfully fitting about Sunday’s opening of The Old School Bookshop at Karoo Artist’s Café in Philippolis.

Book lovers gathered to celebrate the arrival of a remarkable independent bookshop that has made the journey from Richmond in the Northern Cape to Philippolis in the southern Free State. Its extensive collection now has a new home in one of the town’s oldest and most historic buildings.

And it is difficult to imagine a more appropriate home for books.

The building dates back to 1873, when it served as Philippolis’s first classroom — a place where generations ago children gathered to read, write and learn. More than 150 years later, the shelves are once again filled with books and the old classroom has returned, in a sense, to its original purpose: a place for words, ideas, discovery and conversation.

Sunday’s opening was wonderfully well attended, with book enthusiasts browsing the shelves, discovering unexpected treasures and enjoying the relaxed atmosphere of the café and bookshop.

The move of The Old School Bookshop from Richmond to Philippolis adds another special chapter to the cultural life of this historic Karoo town. Together with Karoo Artist’s Café, it creates a place where visitors can linger over coffee or w**e, browse at leisure, talk about books and perhaps leave carrying a title they never expected to find.

For Philippolis, a town where history is never very far away, the story has come beautifully full circle.

In 1873, people came through these doors to learn from books.
In 2026, the books have come home again.

03/09/2026

Die Karoo Artist’s Café se openingstye vir die res van hierdie week is:

Vrydag 4 Sept: 18h00 Supper Club (vol bespreek)
Saterdag 5 Sept: 7h30 tot 10h30 (lentedag ontbyt vir ATKV se lentestap).
Sondag 6 Sept 11h30 tot 13h00 (opening van Philippolis se Boekwinkel)

Vanaf Maandag weer terug na 11h00 tot 17h00

02/09/2026

02/09/2026

Gelukkigstse lentedag in Philippolis

29/08/2026

KAROO ARTIST’S CAFé - OPENING HOURS

From Tuesday 1 SEPTEMBER
Monday to Sunday 11h00 to 17h00
Saturdays 8h00 to 17h00

Karoo Artist’s Café and Old School Bookshop, home of the Silent Book Club Karoo & Philippolis Super Club,
at 30 Tobie Muller street, Philippolis

**elovers

Save the dates 👇🏾

22/08/2026

Mandala-oggend by Karoo Artist’s Café

’n Oggend van kreatiwiteit, kleur en saamkuier — met goeie kos en koffie tussenin. Só lyk ’n lekker Karoo-oggend.

’sCafé

16/08/2026

W**e and dine 🤗
Book NOW! Be part of Philippolis’s Super Club

27/07/2026

Congratulations to our Chief Café Assistant, Lucelle, on your achievement. We are proud of you.