My favourite bookstore to close in February 2012

[RonRon]

The chapter draws to an end for yet another of Singapore's bookstores.

Its publishing arm remains unaffected and the company will continue to operate its stores in China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Taiwan - an irony, given the 28-year-old business is a home-grown one.

'Our lease is expiring and the rental is not viable. As an alternative, we thought of reconfiguring the shop space, but couldn't come to an agreement with the landlord,' said Page One Group's chief executive Mark Tan. 'It is a great loss and we are very disappointed.'

BACKGROUND STORY

RENT IS TOO HIGH

'Our lease is expiring and the rental is not viable... It is a great loss and we are very disappointed.'

Page One Group's chief executive Mark Tan

He declined to reveal details of the 28,000 sq ft shop's contract, citing confidentiality reasons.

 

[johnny333]

Where is the Spore store located

 

[RonRon]

Where is the Spore store located

Page one at vivo city

 

[johnny333]

No wonder, I've heard that is an expensive mall. So I give it a miss

I've only go there to take the ferry to Batam :o

 

[red amoeba]

No wonder, I've heard that is an expensive mall. So I give it a miss

I've only go there to take the ferry to Batam :o

its no wonder really, considering the owner of Vivo.

 

[yinyang]

Not surprising, as outlet was BIG on (premium) space. How many lattes can you do to pay rent?

 

[jw5]

Go and live in Taipei City.
You can even visit the book store at 3 am and it will be full of people browsing.

 

[RonRon]

Go and live in Taipei City.
You can even visit the book store at 3 am and it will be full of people browsing.

I always hang around at the book store in taipei after midnight. Sinkies are too uncultured and boring they only like to go Geylang and night spots.

 

[laksaboy]

LOL. You didn't foresee the demise of Page One?

I have went to the Page One book store at Vivocity a number of times. Not impressed at all. Disorganized. Limited collection.

If even Borders couldn't make it, of course Page One wouldn't either.

Brick and mortar bookstores will go the way of the dinosaur, as will brick-and-mortar music CD stores.

The future is online: e-books and digital music purchase.

Let's just hope that Kinokuniya and Popular/Big Bookshop remain in business for as long as they can, for they (still) cater to a unique niche in the market.

http://techcrunch.com/2011/09/27/the-future-of-books-a-dystopian-timeline/

 

[red amoeba]

Go and live in Taipei City.
You can even visit the book store at 3 am and it will be full of people browsing.

yes , I would love taipei- Eslite is my fav.

but English books are expensive in Taipei...sigh...dun hve best of both worlds.

 

[red amoeba]

LOL. You didn't foresee the demise of Page One?

I have went to the Page One book store at Vivocity a number of times. Not impressed at all. Disorganized. Limited collection.

If even Borders couldn't make it, of course Page One wouldn't either.

Brick and mortar bookstores will go the way of the dinosaur, as will brick-and-mortar music CD stores.

The future is online: e-books and digital music purchase.

Let's just hope that Kinokuniya and Popular/Big Bookshop remain in business for as long as they can, for they (still) cater to a unique niche in the market.

http://techcrunch.com/2011/09/27/the-future-of-books-a-dystopian-timeline/

I think in terms of like to like, only Kino remains.

the demise of Borders to me...is the lack of online browsing, lack of Chinese & other lang books and of course their choking rental.

ditto for Page One - choking rental.

actually it is not messy at Page One, you just need to know where to go.

If talk about messy, you find Kino Taka messier.

Big Bookshop -honestly I dun even know what is their selling point - stationery, some cheap picture books,?

Popular is surviving only because of textbooks and assessment books

 

[Clone]

I always hang around at the book store in taipei after midnight. Sinkies are too uncultured and boring they only like to go Geylang and night spots.

Izzit?

LOL! I sometimes do go to the book store first, then go cheong later.

A cultured cheongster? I am sure there are many out there lah!

Fingers crossed for Kino!

 

[jw5]

yes , I would love taipei- Eslite is my fav.

but English books are expensive in Taipei...sigh...dun hve best of both worlds.

In terms of night life, and I don't mean the chiong or lup sup type, Taipei city beats HK and SG by a mile.
If u and your friends feel like having supper, singing songs, watching movies, reading books, playing aracade games, chit chatting etc, many places are open through the night to cater to the night birds.

 

[red amoeba]

In terms of night life, and I don't mean the chiong or lup sup type, Taipei city beats HK and SG by a mile.
If u and your friends feel like having supper, singing songs, watching movies, reading books, playing aracade games, chit chatting etc, many places are open through the night to cater to the night birds.

you know why?

i tell you

bcos of PRCs.

only taipei does not have massive influx of PRCs....for now.

 

[Fook Seng]

you know why?

i tell you

bcos of PRCs.

only taipei does not have massive influx of PRCs....for now.

But they have their own local born. Taipei is a more homogenous city than Singapore, even Hongkong. Also long association with Japan could have given it its night life. It doesn't mean it does not have the GL type, more open in fact, except they have other activities as well, drinking and supper, very much the Japanese. In Singapore if you have your own family you go home after work.

 

[Unrepented]

Someone will come in here and say; "For the life of me, I don't understand why there is 24/7 bookstores"

Go and live in Taipei City.
You can even visit the book store at 3 am and it will be full of people browsing.

 

[johnny333]

LOL. You didn't foresee the demise of Page One?......

When I go to Orchard Rd I only see struggling cloths stores & franchised restaurants. Maybe that's why I rarely downtown anymore:(
There are of course other struggling stores such as electronics stores who must rely on cheating the tourists:o If you look at Plaza Singapura, even Best Denki has had to drastically slim down their store

The way things are going in Spore I expect the PAP to turn the Istana into an "Exclusive" hotel, you can't have too many of those, ehh once the old man vacates the place of course:p

 

[zeddy]

I always hang around at the book store in taipei after midnight. Sinkies are too uncultured and boring they only like to go Geylang and night spots.

All Malls in Spore close at 10 pm except Mustafa Centre.. Libraries are opened till 9pm.. Where to go to read books after 10pm..??? Nothin much to do in Spore during the wee hours except goin to Geylang, having supper, watching cinema and goin to clubs.. I'm sure there are many people who would love it if all our libraries are open beyond 9 pm..But of course the NLB would not entertain this idea...

 

[laksaboy]

In terms of night life, and I don't mean the chiong or lup sup type, Taipei city beats HK and SG by a mile.
If u and your friends feel like having supper, singing songs, watching movies, reading books, playing aracade games, chit chatting etc, many places are open through the night to cater to the night birds.

Unfortunately, to open a store 24 hours, you need extra manpower to do shift work, and you need to factor in the extra costs incurred from utility bills and rent. There just aren't that many people who want to go out, much less work during the twilight hours. I'm sure shops did their proper cost-benefit analysis and decided that leaving the shop open for 24 hours just isn't worth it. McDonald's, Fairprice or 7-Eleven etc can afford to operate 24 hours, most other shops can't.

 

[Clone]

All Malls in Spore close at 10 pm except Mustafa Centre.. Libraries are opened till 9pm.. Where to go to read books after 10pm..??? Nothin much to do in Spore during the wee hours except goin to Geylang, having supper, watching cinema and goin to clubs.. I'm sure there are many people who would love it if all our libraries are open beyond 9 pm..But of course the NLB would not entertain this idea...

And we used to have Borders@Wheelock which opened late!