Death of the Bookstore
As of 26 February 2024, only one Times Bookstore in Singapore is left standing. Is the death of the bookstore too close for comfort?
When I was younger, I dreaded Saturdays.
Saturdays were a morning of enrichment for me at the Mandarin learning centre Berries. If you aren’t familiar with the tuition chain, Berries offers an intensive curriculum for primary schoolers. Think of it as the Kumon of Mandarin. As someone who struggled with speech (in English AND Mandarin), I never enjoyed the 2–3 hour tuition sessions.
I did, however, look forward to what came after.
Borders was a bookstore at Wheelock Place that covered a massive amount of space. It is credited as the first incorporation reading nooks within the store to encourage customers to spend more time in there, making it a cosy, comfortable bookstore. I spent hours wandering the shelves. My fondest memories of the place include lounging in children’s section and sieving through books with my parents. One of my first purchases at Borders was Diary of a Wimpy Kid #3 – The Last Straw, the third book of Jeff Kinney’s famous series.
The light scent of books, the light chatter, and the various spaces to curl up and read made Borders a refuge for a budding bookworm like me.
Therefore, I was devastated when Borders shut its doors in 2011. Saturdays were never the same again.
Over the years, I’ve witnessed bookstores I love close, and I’m not even talking about second-hand bookstores (an article for another day!). Besides Borders, I frequented a bookstore at United Square. I had English composition class at Lorna Whiston on Sundays and my dad would take me to this tiny bookstore near the Kopitiam to browse books. This store, which I admittedly cannot remember the name of, was unique as you could choose to buy their books or loan their books and return them. It was here where I devoured the entire collection of The Naughtiest Girl by Enid Blyton.
I was a sickly kid, so my parents would bring me to a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctor at Plaza Singapura twice per month to boost my immune system. I wasn’t a fan of the bitter medicine I was made to take, but at least my parents would take me to a small bookstore in the mall as a reward. I remember this place as my source of Russell Lee’s True Singapore Ghost Stories books.
I would choose the scariest, creepiest looking covers to bring home and read. After a while, my mother banned me from reading the series as she was scared its language may subconsciously influence my formal writing in school. This decision was quietly welcomed because the books were so spooky that I developed a phobia of the series. Nonetheless, every time I pass by the place where the store used to be located, I’m hit with a surge of nostalgia.
As Ngee Ann City’s Kinokuniya became the go-to bookstore for Singaporeans, the presence of Times Bookstore was refreshing. I saw it as the alternative bookstore to Kinokuniya. Besides books, it sold a variety of trinkets and interesting toys as well. The most memorable book I bought from Times is a guidebook to the game Plants vs Zombies, which I didn’t even play. There’s just something about being spoon fed the lore of a popular franchise that absolutely captivated me.
On 26 February 2024, the news reported that all Times outlets in Singapore shut down, besides one at Holland Village. Though I had not stepped into Times for quite some time, my heart twinged in sadness. I recalled all the bookstores I’ve loved and lost since I first stepped foot into Borders so long ago.
At this point, we shouldn’t be surprised. One by one, bookstores in Singapore have been slowly saying goodbye. The ones that stay remain in a state of uncertainty, unsure if they will live to see another financial year. Citing rising rent and a dwindling demand for physical books, the death of the bookstore feels imminent. Sure, we may have Kinokuniya now, but will there be a day when Singapore has zero physical bookstores?
That’s not to discount the efforts of bookstores to remain relevant in the age of the internet. Online bookstores like Open Trolley have popped up, and other bookstores like Ethos Books also sell e-books. Kinokuniya not only organises events, but also has a TikTok page that promotes their activities. They also sell popular toys and stationery from Sanrio, Studio Ghibli, and Miffy.
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Even though bookstores are evolving to cater to the modern-day reader, I still find myself in these familiar places, wishing for a simpler time. It’s becoming a privilege to buy physical books – buying a paperback book can cost $30, which is way more than the past. It’s not their fault, but it’s difficult to support the industry as a broke university student.
I have a huge amount of respect to those behind the scenes who work hard to keep bookstores afloat as our reading habits change. But sometimes, I can’t help but think back to my childhood, one characterised by frequent bookstore visits with my parents. The awe I felt every time my tiny self stepped into a bookstore is something that cannot be replicated as a young adult.
I would not be the reader I am today, if not for the structures that gave me the space to discover whole new worlds within books.
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About the Author
Rachel resides in Singapore and is currently in her second year of university. She’s majoring in Literature and minoring in Creative Writing. When she’s not worrying about her assignments, she likes to read and do photography.