Latest news with #Kinokuniya
New Paper
a day ago
- Business
- New Paper
Third Kinokuniya branch opens in Raffles City, weeks before planned date
Kinokuniya, the Republic's only remaining books-focused mega-chain, opened its third outlet in shopping mall Raffles City on the morning of July 18. The celebratory occasion bucked prevailing trends of bookshop closures amid laments of declining book-buying habits. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the "hidden literary haven", designed by award-winning architect Tan Kay Ngee, took place weeks before its initial scheduled date of August and immediately welcomed about 30 patrons. Kinokuniya vice-president of domestic and overseas business Keijiro Mori said Singapore may be more digitalised than other countries, but trends away from screens in Britain and the United States offer hope. "I'm confident this will come to Singapore," he added. "Meanwhile, we have to try to include more non-book items. But we will try to keep these book-related. We don't want to become a general miscellaneous store." Totalling 3,433 sq ft, the third-floor space had, up till April, been leased by tech gadget retailer Challenger. It may be a far cry from Kinokuniya's Ngee Ann City flagship - at about 10 times the size - but news of its opening, announced three months ago, still came as a salve to bibliophiles after worrying scenes of bookshelves in Ngee Ann City being emptied. Totalling 3,433 sq ft, the third-floor space had, up till April, been leased by tech gadget retailer Challenger. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM In February, The Straits Times reported that the 38,000 sq ft store was being downsized after rental negotiations with landlord Toshin Development arrived at the conclusion that the front portion of the bookstore would be taken over by a cafe. Kinokuniya has since assured the public that its range of titles remained intact. Its Raffles City branch is similar in size to the Bugis Junction store, which opened in 2013. Kinokuniya Raffles City was "designed not to shout, but to invite", which architect Tan has attempted with a long central axis leading to a blue-hued Reading Room, an alcove that reuses some of Kinokuniya's signature shelves from Ngee Ann City. The bookstore at Raffles City is divided into the Reading Room (left) and main area (right). ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Exclusive stationery is being touted as a key feature, such as cat-themed products from Japanese designer Matsuo Miyuki and the anthropomorphic Pickles the Frog. "We put the honey in front," said Kinokuniya consultant Kenny Chan. Exclusive merchandise such as Pickles the Frog in Kinokuniya's new outlet at Raffles City. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM There are other subtle differentiations from other branches, for instance, a greater focus on English-language and business-related books to cater to the Central Business District crowd. Mr Ervin Yeo, chief executive of commercial management at CapitaLand Investment, said customer satisfaction surveys have long indicated a demand for Raffles City to have a bookstore again, which would allow browsing between appointments while also supplying nearby Fairmont Hotel and Swissotel The Stamford guests with holiday reads. Raffles City is managed by CapitaLand. There could be "cross-activations", he added, suggesting collaborations with brands like Chinese milk tea chain Chagee, wine concierge Grand Cru and cafe Alice Boulangerie. "With the right trade mix, we hope that sales for all tenants will improve." According to a National Library Board 2024 study, 28 per cent of adults read books and e-books more than once a week. Among these, 75 per cent still prefer physical books, and more people buy physical books from bookstores (54 per cent) than borrow from libraries (51 per cent). After the outpouring of grief over Kinokuniya's reduction at Ngee Ann City, Mr Yeo urged the public to put their money where their mouth is. "Rather than bellyaching over their closures and lamenting their disappearance, the best thing we can all do to support bookstores is to visit bookstores and buy books."
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Books Kinokuniya's new outlet at Raffles City opens, features reading room and outlet-exclusive items, Lifestyle News
Bibliophiles can rejoice as they'll be able to explore Books Kinokuniya's new Raffles City outlet — originally slated to open in August — sooner than expected. Books Kinokuniya's newest store opened its doors to the public on Friday (July 18), the Japanese bookstore chain announced in a press release on July 15. The store is located on the third level of the shopping centre, taking over the unit formerly occupied by consumer electronics chain Challenger, with this being Books Kinokuniya's third location in Singapore. The Raffles City outlet spans 3,433 sq ft and visitors might be drawn to its major feature located in the heart of the store: The Reading Room. With shelves painted deep blue, the room offers a quiet and tranquil vibe for visitors and is a clear distinction from the wooden tones of the rest of the store. The room is intended to evoke a sense of contemplation and to be a distinct cove for booklovers, the brand shared in its press release. A curated selection of popular genres such as Asian Literature, Romance, Fiction and more can be found here. Something for visitors to note is that there are no comics or children's books in this section of the store. Magazines and books in Chinese or Japanese are not available at the new space, but visitors can find them at Kinokuniya's two other outlets. There's also a selection of outlet-exclusive stationery and merchandise, from cat-themed products by Matsuo Miyuki to rare Pickles the Frog items only available at this location. Customers can also get Books Kinokuniya merchandise such as pouches or paper clip boxes with a minimum spend of $30, while stocks last, said a company spokesperson. There will also be a variety of events held at the new store, including mascot appearances by characters such as Smiski and Moomin, so keep your eyes peeled on Books Kinokuniya's socials for more information. In the wake of its sister company NBC Stationery & Gifts's closure in the same mall earlier this year, along with the recent downsizing of Books Kinokuniya's flagship store in Takashimaya Shopping Centre, news of this opening may also come as a welcomed start for the brand and book lovers alike. Recently, customers and book lovers in Singapore had lamented at the sight of empty shelves at the Takashimaya outlet. The 38,000 sq ft store was in the midst of downsizing operations, with the vacated space set to be replaced by a new cafe among others, The Straits Times reported. Many members of public took to social media, dismayed by the thought of the nostalgic outlet downsizing. Books Kinokuniya then shared an announcement to reassure their fans that business operations would continue as usual. Address: 252 North Bridge Road #03-22/23 Singapore 179103 [[nid:717983]] amierul@
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Kinokuniya opens third bookstore in Raffles City after flagship downsizing
SINGAPORE – Kinokuniya, the Republic's only remaining books-focused mega-chain, opened its third outlet in shopping mall Raffles City on the morning of July 18. The celebratory occasion bucked prevailing trends of bookshop closures amid laments of declining book-buying habits. The ribbon cutting ceremony for the 'hidden literary haven', designed by award-winning architect Tan Kay Ngee, took place weeks before its initial scheduled date of August and immediately welcomed about 30 patrons. Vice-president of Kinokuniya Keijiro Mori says Singapore may be more digitalised than other countries, but that trends in the United Kingdom and United States returning to the analogue offers hope. 'I'm confident this will come to Singapore,' he says. 'Meanwhile, we have to try to include more non-books items. But we try to keep these still somehow book-related. We don't want to become a general miscellaneous store.' Totalling 3,433 sq ft, the third-floor space had up till April been leased by tech gadget retailer Challenger. It may be a far cry from Kinokuniya's Ngee Ann City flagship – at about 10 times the size – but news of its opening, when it was announced three months ago, still came as a salve to bibliophiles after worrying scenes of bookshelves in Ngee Ann City being emptied. Totalling 3,433 sq ft, the third-floor space had up till April been leased by tech gadget retailer Challenger. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM In February, The Straits Times reported that the 38,000 sq ft store was being downsized after rental negotiations with landlord Toshin Development arrived at the conclusion that the front portion of the bookstore would be taken over by a cafe. Kinokuniya has since assured the public that its range of titles remained intact. The other Kinokuniya branch of similar size to the Raffles City one opened in Bugis Junction in 2013. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Up to 30% of aviation jobs would have to be redesigned because of AI, automation: CAAS Singapore Alleged Kpod peddler filmed trying to flee raid in Bishan charged with 6 offences Business Global fintech firms expanding in Singapore with larger offices, APAC hubs Singapore 5 foreigners charged over scheme to deliberately get arrested in S'pore to sell sex drugs Life F1 Singapore Grand Prix: Music acts Lewis Capaldi, Clean Bandit, Spice Girls' Melanie C added World Trump threatens to sue WSJ over story on alleged 2003 letter to Epstein Asia Appointment of Malaysia's new chief justice eases controversy over vacant top judge seats for now Singapore SPCA appoints Walter Leong as new executive director Kinokuniya Raffles City was 'designed not to shout, but to invite', which architect Tay has attempted with a long central axis leading to a blue-hued Reading Room, an alcove that re-uses some of Kinokuniya's signature shelves transported from Ngee Ann City. The long central axis of bookshelves dividing the reading room (left) and the main area (right), where merchandise, stationery and more books are, in Kinokuniya's new outlet at Raffles City. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Exclusive stationery is being touted as a key feature, such as cat-themed products from Japanese designer Matsuo Miyuki and the anthropomorphic Pickles the Frog. 'We put the honey in front,' says former Kinokuniya Asia-Pacific senior store and merchandising director Kenny Chan. Exclusive merchandise such as Pickles the Frog in Kinokuniya's new outlet at Raffles City. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM There are other subtle differentiations from other branches, for instance focusing more on English-language and business-related books to cater to the Central Business District crowd. Landlord CapitaLand's chief executive officer Ervin Yeo said customer satisfaction surveys have long indicated a demand for Raffles City to have its own bookstore, which would allow for browsing in between appointments while also supplying nearby Fairmont Hotel and Swissotel guests with their holiday reads There could be 'cross-activations', he says, suggesting books and Chinese milk tea chain Chagee. 'With the right trade mix, we hope that sales for all tenants will improve.' According to a National Library Board 2024 study, 28 per cent of adults read books and e-books more than once a week. Among these, 75 per cent still prefer physical books, and more people buy physical books from bookstores (54 per cent) than borrow from libraries (51 per cent). After the outpouring of grief over Kinokuniya's reduction at Ngee Ann City, Mr Yeo urged the public to put their money where their mouth is. 'Rather than bellyaching over their closures and lamenting their disappearance, the best thing we can all do to support bookstores is to visit bookstores and buy books.'
CNA
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
Life-sized Smiski to make appearance at Kinokuniya Takashimaya
Smiskis are all the rage right now – tiny, glow-in-the-dark collectible figurines from Japan that have charmed fans with their unique human-like poses. Whether it's reading, doing yoga, meditating, or cheekily hanging off your phone (à la the popular Sonny Angel), collectors have accumulated shelves worth of these little figures, making their own Smiski set-ups. Now, you can take your obsession to the next level. A life-sized Smiski will be at bookstore Kinokuniya's main outlet in Takashimaya on Saturday (Jul 19) from 2.30pm to 5pm. You can grab a photo with it during one of three photo sessions. There's a session from 2.30pm to 3pm, another from 3.30pm to 4pm, and the last one is from 4.30pm to 5pm. Aside from meeting the giant blank-faced creature, fans who purchase two or more Smiski items during the fan meet will be able to redeem a Smiski-themed masking tape, while those who purchase five or more Smiski items can redeem a Smiski drawstring bag. Offers are while stocks last. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Books Kinokuniya 🇸🇬 (@kinokuniya_singapore)
Bangkok Post
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Bangkok Post
Thai author to launch debut novel at Kinokuniya
Readers, Penguin fans and aspiring writers are invited to the Bangkok launch of Stamford Hospital, the debut novel of Thai author Thammika Songkaeo, at Kinokuniya bookstore, 3rd floor of Siam Paragon, Rama I Road, on Saturday from 3pm-5pm. Praised by Harper's Bazaar Singapore, Elle, Prestige, Grazia, and more, the novel, published by Penguin Random House SEA, engages readers into urgent, often unspoken conversations about gender dynamics, intimacy and maternal mental health -- all through a gripping, autofictive lens. Stamford Hospital follows a mother over two unsettling nights after she checks her barely-ill daughter into a hospital -- using it as a form of childcare -- just to buy herself space from the relentless demands of motherhood. Inside the sterile corridors of Stamford Hospital, she's forced to confront not only the cracks in her sexless marriage, but the quiet unravelling of her own sense of self. Tarisa, once ambitious and thriving, never imagined a long-term life in Singapore. But after her husband's strategic decision -- citing that, as an Asian man, life was easier for him in Singapore than in the US -- the city-state becomes their permanent home. What unfolds is a portrait of a woman caught between cultures, marriage, motherhood and the haunting question of what happens to a life when its aspirations are quietly buried. With a life that has spanned Thailand, India, Uganda, Rwanda, the US and Singapore, Thammika writes with the rare clarity of someone who has witnessed womanhood refracted through multiple cultural lenses. Her literary debut is already stirring conversation -- a sharp, psychological story set in Singapore that interrogates motherhood, sexless marriage and the cost of ambition. The book launch promises not only a powerful new voice in fiction coming from Thailand, but a conversation for our times -- one where intimacy, migration and the emotional toll of womanhood are laid bare with grace and intelligence. A book signing will follow the talk moderated by Parisa Pichitmarn. There is no admission fee. Visit
