Traditional Bookbinding Workshops Continue in Macedonia

The mission of Kajak.mk is to uncover all the craftsmen who, in our opinion, are the soul of tourism in Macedonia. Believe it or not, there are many local residents in Macedonia who create small things of enormous significance for the development of tourism.

We are firmly committed to our goal! One day, we will grow into a national platform for tourism in Macedonia, where we will have absorbed all the stakeholders! We will achieve this, as long as we continue to give a chance for promotion to those smallest businesses that have never had the opportunity to be promoted before.

Every day, we tell new stories, and now we’ll share the story of Dragan Georgievski, a man whose life journey from Bitola to Ohrid inspired him to continue writing the family story of "Bookbinding." A story that got its first page in the distant year of 1979.

Today, you can view the products sold by Knihoz on "Kajak’s Grocery Store" and see the workshops they organize in the "Where Here" category.

Dragan shared with us the story of the history of Knihoz, which began four decades ago in Bitola, on Saint Nektarios Bitolski Street, located about 100 meters away from the Bezisten, at the very start of the "Old Bitola Bazaar."

The story begins with his father, who graduated as a graphic engineer in Zagreb, his mother, who completed a course in bookbinding, and the two apprentices, Valentina and Menka.

The Bitola shop operated until 1985, when Dragan's family decided to close it and move to Ohrid, where their family continued their engagement as qualified professionals in the graphic industry at the Kosta Abraš printing house.

Dragan says that he became acquainted with the craft of bookbinding at the end of the 1990s, and his love for the craft at that time motivated him to create hundreds of products with hardcovers.

By learning the basic skills from his father in the family garage, the desire emerged to re-register their workshop "Knihoz" and bring the soul of the family craft back to life.

The Ohrid workshop officially began operations on March 20, 2021, and has been active ever since.

Currently, Dragan is the one leading the workshop, with additional help from his wife, Biljana Georgievska, who is also mastering the craft.

Due to the reduced workload and the decline in the use of paper for writing in everyday life, Dragan decided to learn an additional craft. These are the skills for handmade leather products, which serve as useful items in daily life. He also mastered hand carving on leather, a skill that was not present in Macedonia until 2007.

What Kajak.mk wants to highlight in the piece about "Knihoz" are the fun workshops organized for different age groups, from 10-year-olds to retirees. Dragan says that through these workshops, visitors can create miniature notebooks with hardcover binding, hand-sew leather products, and enjoy the presentation of hand-carved leather work.

The first workshop started at the request of a girl from the Netherlands on August 18, 2014, who asked for help in making a custom bag. The workshop was successful, the girl was extremely satisfied, and they continued offering workshops ever since, says Dragan.

In the workshop, visitors have the opportunity to sing and play various instruments. Knihoz is equipped with a piano and two guitars. During the summer, you may find academic musicians who hold their rehearsals in the workshop.

As for the products they create today, every customer through the shop and every visitor can receive a product made to their desire, of course, within the skills of the craftsmen.

Today, you can find various notebooks, wallets, cardholders, keychains, belts, and many other items.

If you want to check out the creations, click HERE, and if you want to see the exact location, click HERE.