May 1, 2011
Delicious reads
Roll over, big bookshops. Here come the small indie bookstores which offer a cosy atmosphere complete with cafes
By Nicholas Yong
Fancy a quiet read and a cuppa in a bookshop that reminds you of your own living room? Perhaps listen to some music too, and play a few games or a round of pool?
A handful of bookstore cafes have sprung up in recent months which all have the same kooky cool bookworm vibe. All of them are passion projects started by book lovers and all are located in conserved shophouses.
Their books are not shrink-wrapped and you are welcome to browse for as long as you like. Food and beverages, including booze, are also available.
Their target market is customers like teacher Noorul Raaha As'art, 29, who reads an average of a book a week and has grown tired of large bookstores.
She says: 'I prefer small bookstores because they are cosier and the owners give more personalised service.'
The Pigeonhole, which opened just a month ago in Duxton Road, is the newest entry. Co-owners Rayner Lim, 32, and Ave Chan, 26, poured their life savings into a space that was meant to be an 'embodiment of all the things we liked', says Ms Chan.
The small collection of 200 books is almost secondary - amateur musicians perform there most nights and various arts, NGO and charity events have also been held there.
Just down the road is Littered With Books, which opened seven months ago. It was started by four professionals from the legal and financial industries with a mutual love of books.
Co-owner Sheela M., in her 40s, says: 'Reading is a very solitary exercise, but part of the joy of this is the opportunity to meet other people who love to read.'
A short walk away in Bukit Pasoh is Books Cellar, a cafe-bar with an extensive collection of horror books and thrillers by renowned authors such as Anne Rice and Clive Barker. The books are deliberately placed randomly to encourage browsing.
There is even a section filled with reading copies, with bookmarks given to customers who read those books.
Co-owner Chang Hon Vie, 39, says: 'I import horror titles from the United States for like-minded people who also love horror.'
Over in Siglap, The Little Bookshop has beverages and gelato to go with its signature offering - weekly storytelling sessions for children aged 31/2 years and above, at $5 a child. 'How many parents actually sit down with their kids to read to them?' says owner Irene Hwa, 44, who works in marketing.
The bookstores have already won over customers such as Web journalist Wong Joon Ian, 30, who frequents The Pigeonhole two to three times a month.
'It has just the right mix of technology geeks, artsy folks and just generally interesting people,' says Mr Wong. �
nicy@sph.com.sg
-- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM |
BOOKS CELLAR
Where: 19 Bukit Pasoh Road, tel: 6220-9019
Open: Noon to midnight (weekdays), noon to 10pm (Sundays). Closed on Tuesdays.
Info: ask@bookscellar.com
The vibe: Reminiscent of a European bistro, with a relaxed atmosphere that begs you to sit down and read. Its slogan: Bookstore cafe by day, bar by night.
The decor also features vintage telephones from co-owner Chang Hon Vie's collection. Printed menus are placed between the covers of hardcover fairy-tale books. There is even a vintage cash register that works.
And if you get tired of reading, head for the back of the store for a quick round of pool.
The books: Contemporary authors such as Stephen King and Stephenie Meyer are well represented here, as well as old-school horror authors such as H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe.
Prices start at $15 for paperbacks, $22 for trade paperbacks and $32 for hardcovers. The prices of limited editions are based on market prices and book availability/condition.
THE LITTLE BOOKSHOP
Where: 687A East Coast Road, Level 2, tel: 6677-3083
Open: Noon to 9pm (Tuesdays to Thursdays), 1.30 to 10.30pm (Fridays), noon to 10.30pm (Saturdays), noon to 9pm (Sundays). Closed on Mondays.
Info: www.thelittlebookshop.com.sg
The vibe: A short walk up a flight of stairs reveals a large, quiet, comfortable space with chairs and tables aplenty. Storytelling sessions with props are conducted by staff every week in a small reading room at the back of the store.
The books: An eclectic mix of adult fiction, children's books and cooking books. There is also a section devoted to local authors and poets such as Adeline Foo and Felix Cheong. Books are priced between $12 and $25.
LITTERED WITH BOOKS
Where: 20 Duxton Road, tel: 6220-6824
Open: 11am to 7pm. Closed on Mondays.
Info: www.litteredwithbooks.com
The vibe: Definitely the place for book lovers, with shelves lined with books from top to bottom. Sunlight streaming in through a skylight almost makes the books glow and instantly makes you want to stay on and browse.
Upstairs, more books and several comfy chairs await. Along the way, quotes and proverbs about books and reading decorate the wall. At the top of the stairs and to the left lies the store's quirkiest feature - a flight of stairs that ascends, then ends abruptly.
Free coffee and water are available if you want a drink, though you can make a contribution to help defray costs.
The books: An extensive collection - travel and food narratives, science-fiction, crime, fantasy, cooking and children's books. Whether it is Afghan author Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner or British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's books, they are likely to be found here.
Prices start from $15 for softcovers and $29 for hardcovers.
THE PIGEONHOLE
Where: 52 and 53 Duxton Road, tel: 9627-2586
Open: 10am to 11pm (Tuesdays to Thursdays), 10 to 1am (Fridays), 11.30 to 1am (Saturdays), 11.30am to 11pm (Sundays). Closed on Mondays.
Info: www.thepigeonhole.com.sg
The vibe: A vintage sewing machine sits in a corner near a stone bench.
With books scattered on little bookshelves, couches and armchairs and coffee available from just $2.50, this really does feel like your living room, with free Wi-Fi to boot.
The wall down the middle dividing the two units also makes it easier to host events and games. For example, twice a month, a Powerpoint Karaoke competition is held. This involves making up a coherent story on the spot from 10 random Powerpoint slides. The prize is a bottle of wine.
The books: With titles such as The Chinese Road To Socialism and authors such as Sigmund Freud, the tomes on offer are admittedly 'not light reading', says co-owner Rayner Lim.
Many of the books, purchased from Malaysia, India and Thailand, date back to the 1960s and 1970s and are out of print. Prices start from as low as $7, with most books going for under $20.
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