When I was a teenager, I remember always insisting on visiting a bookshop – any bookshop – whenever I went out with my friends. I wanted to soak in the scent of printed paper bound between a soft or hard cover, and discover new narratives to immerse my entire day into. Sadly, these moments may not be possible in time to come. As a longtime book lover, I've watched with a mixture of nostalgia and concern as our beloved bookshops in Singapore gradually fade from view.
Bookstores in Singapore: Why local literary havens are vanishing (and what it means for readers)
12 December 2024
By Larissa Santhana Nair
Event Details
27 Aug 2024 (Tue) - 30 Aug 2025 (Sat)
SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM (TANJONG PAGAR DISTRIPARK)
Remember the days of wandering through MPH, Times Bookstore, or the now-legendary BooksActually? Those sanctuaries of literary discovery are becoming increasingly rare. In 2021, we bid a tearful farewell to BooksActually, a beloved local publisher and bookstore that had become more than just a shop—it was a cultural institution.
WHY ARE BOOKSTORES DISAPPEARING?
The culprits are familiar yet complex. Firstly, skyrocketing shop rentals make it challenging for brick-and-mortar bookstores to survive.
Then there is digital transformation. Many are pivoting to borrowing e-books from resources like Libby to read on their phone or buying a personal handheld reading device that stores all their e-books that can be carried around. There is a clear change in our reading habits – our fast-paced lifestyle favours convenience. Why carry a physical book when you can have an entire library in your pocket?
With the increase in the paper used for books and the printing these words to paper, book retail prices also increase which dissuades people from wanting to spend money on it over other things – food, entertainment or even shopping.
That said, while the decline in physical and mainstream bookstores signals challenges for the literary industry on a whole, places like Kinokuniya and even local social enterprise Books Beyond Borders continue to thrive. “Booktok” is also a phenomenon that has encouraged more people to start a habit of reading and exploring books.
WHAT OUR INDEPENDENT BOOKSELLERS ARE TRYING TO DO
Not all is lost. Some bookstores are fighting back with creativity and community spirit.
Epigram Bookshop has consistently made their premises a space to commune and find community – with a coffee shop and barista that resides in-house, this is a dream escape for many booklovers. One visitor to the Maxwell outlet told us that when they first discovered the place in 2021, it was love at first sight with the wall display of local books and recommendations.
Their kids made themselves comfortable by taking the books from the shelves to read and Epigram became the family’s go-to bookstore to buy Sing Lit, especially their national day reads that happen yearly. With the publisher’s last bookstore closing down, the happiness of having it at the Singapore Art Museum is short-lived.
With Epigram’s author dialogue sessions within the bookshop and pop up booths at spaces like Guoco Towers and Boutique fairs, the publisher goes beyond what is typically done by a bookshop to ensure that as many Singaporeans are engaged with Sing Lit as possible.
Another bookseller, Books Beyond Borders, leverages the hobby of reading and purchasing secondhand to encourage spending for a good cause. Sales made from books that were donated by the public are dedicated to support girls’ education in Nepal. Their retail spaces also offer cosy environments and an experience beyond the book-buying that keeps many coming back for more, and volunteers engage with all visitors which helps to build a community.
THE REAL PROBLEM IS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH READING
Reading has been an essential part of Singapore in so many different ways. For one, we have our National Reading Movement by the National Library Board and this year encouraged people to read more in order to benefit the less fortunate with books they can read.
In our formal education, reading is a mandatory requirement in primary and secondary school. For the bookworms, this was the perfect excuse to have our nose deep in these literary worlds without our parents nagging at us to do homework (because it is homework). But for the ones that didn’t understand the appeal of reading, this became another chore to complete during the school holidays and truly felt like homework.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a healthy initiative for children to improve their reading skills. But when the joy of reading is not properly explored and journeyed with a child, this is the start of a negative reaction towards the hobby. Such programmes may not be fully equipped to support children with reading and learning disabilities, and these children turn into adults who think that it is just not the right thing for them.
In research done by YouTube media group “Answer In Progress”, people read to fulfil three distinct needs: Escape (Fiction), Education (Non-fiction and learning something new) and Evolution (Self-help and growth). In each subgroup, there are specific needs that one should meet at the current time in order to even get invested into reading.
For example, if one loves fantasy science fiction and are in the mood to consume such content, then it would serve their needs to read a book that falls in that category. With our limited attention spans these days, it might also bode well to celebrate the small wins and goals when reading a book. For example, reading one page a day and having that gradually increase over time.
Books and literature, an artform that has lasted for centuries within many different cultures, is also very analog which may come across as an old-fashioned or regular interest. And in a society that always wants to be more unique and differentiated from everyone else, reading falls into the oblivion of things that just about anyone can do. But that is why it needs to become a mainstay: Because anyone can read with the right access.
IT IS TIME FOR A READING REVIVAL
The decline of traditional bookstores is undeniably a loss, but it does not mark the end of Singapore’s literary journey. Independent bookstores embody resilience and adaptability, offering a renewed way for us to engage with our literary culture. Books and literature, timeless art forms deeply rooted in countless cultures, may seem analog or ordinary in a world obsessed with the unique and unconventional.
Yet, it is precisely their accessibility that makes them vital. In a society striving for distinction, reading risks fading into the background as something anyone can do—but that is exactly why it must endure. Because anyone can read, provided they have the right access, and that inclusivity is what makes literature an indispensable pillar of culture. As bookstores evolve, so too must our relationship with books and the stories that continue to shape our collective identity.
Image credit: INN Interior, ST File, The Pride, Lim Jin Young, Ng Sor Luan.
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