Malta’s Nostalgic Time Capsule: ‘Stories Revisited’

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Valletta, just off St. John’s Square, lies a hidden gem that’s more than just a bookstore. It’s a time machine, a portal to our collective childhood memories. Welcome to ‘Stories Revisited’, a nostalgic haven where the pages of our past come alive.

‘Stories Revisited’ is not your average bookstore. It’s a treasure trove of vintage toys, comics, and board games that have been loved and lost over the decades. Owner, Joe Attard, has spent years scouring garage sales, flea markets, and even attics to curate this unique collection. “I wanted to create a space where people could reconnect with their past, where they could find a piece of their childhood,” he says.

Stepping into the store is like stepping into a Maltese time capsule. There are tinplate cars from the 1950s, vintage board games like ‘Snakes and Ladders’ and ‘Ludo’, and even old school comics like ‘Il-Kappara’ and ‘Il-Għawdex’. The walls are lined with books in Maltese and English, from classic children’s literature to old school textbooks.

But ‘Stories Revisited’ isn’t just about the things. It’s about the stories they tell. Joe has a knack for getting people to share their memories, and the store is filled with tales of childhood adventures. There’s the story of the boy who found a hidden compartment in his old desk, filled with love letters from his grandmother. Or the woman who found her childhood teddy bear, complete with a note from her mother.

Joe himself has a treasure trove of stories. He remembers the time he found an old photograph album in a second-hand shop. “It was filled with pictures of a family I didn’t know. I spent hours trying to track them down, just to return the album. It was like a little mystery,” he says, a smile playing on his lips.

‘Stories Revisited’ is more than just a business. It’s a community effort to preserve our collective memory. Joe often hosts events where people can come and share their stories. He’s also started a project to digitize old photographs and documents, making them accessible to everyone.

“We’re losing our past, bit by bit,” Joe says, his voice filled with determination. “I want to do my part to preserve it. Because our past is our story, and it’s worth telling.”

So, if you find yourself in Valletta, do drop by ‘Stories Revisited’. Lose yourself in the pages of the past. You never know what story you might find.