Books Kinokuniya opens new Raffles City outlet ahead of previously announced date
Books Kinokuniya previously announced that the outlet would open in August. Its Raffles City store joins Books Kinokuniya's flagship store at Takashimaya, which was reconfigured and "right-sized" early this year, and its other store at Bugis Junction as the remaining Books Kinokuniya outlets in Singapore.
According to Books Kinokuniya, the change in the opening date was because "renovations and preparations progressed ahead of schedule".
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Books Kinokuniya Raffles City at located on the third floor of the mall and takes over the space previously used by electronics chain Challenger. The store spans 3,433 sq ft and boasts a reading room with deep blue shelves.
There's also store-exclusive stationery and merchandise here, including cat-themed products from Matsuo Miyuki and rare Pickles The Frog items.
Interestingly, in the lead up to Books Kinokuniya Raffles City's opening, the bookstore chain's Instagram account appeared to allude to the possibility of a new outlet at Jewel Changi as well as the revival of its JEM store, which was closed in 2022.
Responding to fans' comments on the Instagram Story, Books Kinokuniya said: "Please keep us in business. And hopefully these will be a reality one day."
In response to queries from CNA Lifestyle, a spokesperson from Books Kinokuniya clarified that the two suggested potential outlets were "actually suggestions put forth by customers" in April.
"At this moment, these projects are not in the works, but responses from our customers do contribute to our strategic planning," said the spokesperson.
When asked about its decision to open an outlet in Raffles City, Books Kinokuniya said that the mall was a "natural choice" due to its central location and strong foot traffic.
'We saw it as an ideal space to introduce a refreshed retail concept and engage with a broader community of readers and customers. With the move to rebrand our sister company, NBC's Raffles City outlet to Books Kinokuniya, we aim to continue serving stationery lovers and book lovers at the new outlet."
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