Latest news with #BooksKinokuniya
Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
My Perfect Weekend with veteran bookseller Kenny Chan
Who: Veteran bookseller Kenny Chan, 72, was a senior director at Books Kinokuniya. He was with the Japanese-owned bookstore chain for 19 years and retired in 2019. Mr Chan was in the book business since 1983, after leaving his role as a diplomat, with stints at publishing and retail companies such as Popular, MPH Bookstores and SNP Publishing. He also contributed to the 2025 book Footprints In Singapore: Meandering Through Memories. The book is the sequel to 2021's Footprint On Foreign Shores, and both books contain stories from those who served as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Foreign Service Officers. Chan's chapter is called Memories Of Queenstown, where he lived from the 1950s to 1990s. 'Ideally, the perfect weekend is when I sit back and do practically nothing, but that is never going to happen. Instead, what makes a perfect weekend is one where I can balance both relaxing and achieving. Achieving, to me, looks like reconnecting with old friends, reminiscing, piecing together elusive memories and basking in our shared glory days. Another old friend I'd revisit is a book I've loved. I'd especially like to reread works by English author Michael Moorcock, because I miss his eternal champions like Elric and Corum. Right now, I'm reading Katabasis by R.F. Kuang, which is, in a nutshell, about a scholar-magician's descent into hell to save her professor, whose death she inadvertently caused through a careless mistake. Think Dante's Inferno seen through Harry Potter's glasses, set against a fantastical backdrop reminiscent of Piranesi. In cinematic terms, imagine something pulled from Japanese film-maker Akira Kurosawa's archives. The perfect place to enjoy all this exists only in my dreams, but a nice serviced flat in Johor Bahru with internet access would do just fine. In the evening, I'd take a walk to a nearby watering hole, meet or make new friends, and simply groove to the music. There are many great spots in Johor Bahru. I particularly like the Permaisuri Zarith Sofiah Opera House as it offers a view of the straits, Singapore and the new bridge connecting the two countries. A bowl of soup kambing in the backstreets of Johor Bahru after a late night would be the perfect end to a Saturday. Sunday mornings are usually reserved for a family walk and breakfast at Singapore Botanic Gardens with my granddaughters, twins Lila and Leia, who will turn two in July. After a forest bath and a spin around Swan Lake, we'd go hunting for prata. Sadly, our favourite spots have shuttered, so we settle for breakfast at McDonald's. Caught between the rambunctious revelry of my four-generation family – with my mother at 98, my wife Su, my son Zakee, my daughter Nadia, her peerless, long-suffering husband Fahmi and their twins – as well as a yearning for solitude, I believe the perfect weekend lies somewhere in between.' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
AsiaOne
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Daily roundup: Books Kinokuniya to open new outlet at Raffles City this August — and other top stories today, Singapore News
Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today. 1. Books Kinokuniya to open new outlet at Raffles City this August With the recent closures of Epigram Coffee Bookshop and Times Bookstores, it has been pretty bleak for bookworms in Singapore. However, Books Kinokuniya's latest update regarding a new outlet opening in Raffles City Shopping Centre this August should help raise spirits... » READ MORE 2. Taiwanese actor Jeremy Huang, known for appearance on Mr Con & Ms Csi, dies at 31 Taiwanese actor Jeremy Huang has died at the age of 31. The news was announced on his sister Selena's Instagram account on April 20 in a joint statement with their mother... » READ MORE 3. 'Her kindness and service touched countless lives': Wife of Singapore's first president, Yusof Ishak, dies at 91 Puan Noor Aishah, wife of Singapore's first president Yusof Ishak, has died at the age of 91 early Tuesday (April 22) morning. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement that Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his Cabinet are deeply saddened by the death of Puan Noor Aishah... » READ MORE 4. Man who allegedly molested stewardess on Singapore-bound flight to be charged A 20-year-old male Indian national will be charged in court for his alleged involvement in a case of outrage of modesty on board a flight bound for Singapore. The police were alerted to the incident on February 28 at 12.05pm, according to a statement released by the police on Monday (April 21)... » READ MORE editor@
AsiaOne
22-04-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
Books Kinokuniya to open new outlet at Raffles City this August , Lifestyle News
With the recent closures of Epigram Coffee Bookshop and Times Bookstores, it has been pretty bleak for bookworms in Singapore. However, Books Kinokuniya's latest update regarding a new outlet opening in Raffles City Shopping Centre this August should help raise spirits. The popular Japanese bookstore announced the news on social media on Monday (April 21). The new Books Kinokinya outlet will be located on the shopping mall's third level, replacing a Challenger store that was previously there. "We are pleased to announce that our NBC Raffles City store will be rebranded as Books Kinokuniya in August 2025," the in-photo caption read. In early April, NBC Stationary & Gifts — a stationery brand owned by Books Kinokuniya — announced its Raffles City Shopping Centre will be closing for good on May 4. Fans of the brand will be glad to hear that said announcement was more a 'see you soon' rather than a complete goodbye. The upcoming Books Kinokuniya outlet in Raffles City will span 3,433 sq ft and is set to feature a Blue Room dedicated to providing a more contemplative mood for immersive reading experiences, as reported by The Straits Times. AsiaOne has reached out to Books Kinokuniya for more information. Downsizing flagship store In February, customers visiting Books Kinokuniya's Takashimaya Shopping Centre outlet were taken aback at the sight of empty shelves at the flagship store. The Straits Times reported that 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. On Feb 18, the Japanese bookstore took to social media to reassure fans that it had no plans to shut down its flagship store in Takashimaya. "We are currently making some changes to our store layout and some sections have moved," the caption read. [[nid:672633]] amierul@
Time Out
22-04-2025
- Business
- Time Out
Books Kinokuniya will be opening a new outlet at Raffles City in August 2025
Call it the plot twist of the year. After announcing the upcoming closure of the beloved NBC Stationery & Gifts at Raffles City – much to the despair of devoted fans – Japanese bookstore group Books Kinokuniya has just revealed that it will be opening a brand new outlet, within the very same mall, no less. Kinokuniya will not be taking over its sister brand NBC's former space, and will instead be setting up shop at what used to be Challenger on Level 3 of the mall. Concurrently, Books Kinonkuniya at Takashimaya is downsizing to make space for a café, but the good news is is that some of its book collection, along with its iconic navy blue shelves, will be migrating over to the new outlet at City Hall. Hoardings for the new Books Kinokuniya at Raffles City are already up, and it's slated to welcome bookworms on an unspecified date in August 2025. In the meantime, check out our compilation of the best bookstores in Singapore which includes many smaller, independently run names.
Business Times
22-04-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Books Kinokuniya to open new outlet at Raffles City in August
[SINGAPORE] Books Kinokuniya will open a new outlet at Raffles City Shopping Centre in August. In a Facebook post on Apr 21, the bookstore chain announced the new store, which will span 3,433 sq ft on the third floor of the mall. Tan Kay Ngee, 68, award-winning principal architect of Kay Ngee Tan Architects, who designed the first Books Kinokuniya's flagship store at Ngee Ann City in 1999, told The Straits Times: 'The new Kinokuniya store is conceived as a quiet discovery – designed not to shout, but to invite.' It will feature a Blue Room at the heart of the shop. 'It is a serene space dedicated to literature which evokes a quieter, more contemplative mood for immersive reading experiences.' The space will reuse the iconic blue shelves from the flagship store, which is currently being reorganised. In February, it was announced that the bookshop's 38,000 sq ft space at Ngee Ann City would be reduced. A spokesperson for Books Kinokuniya said that despite the outlet's smaller footprint, 'our range of titles remains intact and we intend to expand and showcase a more varied merchandise mix'. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The main entrance of the flagship store reopened on Apr 7, although the rest of the store is still undergoing 'significant changes'. The spokesperson also confirmed that there would be no staff layoffs or manpower changes at the Takashimaya outlet. The bookshop chain closed its outlets at Jem mall in Jurong in May 2022 and at Liang Court mall in Clarke Quay in Apr 2019. The closures reflect a shrinking books retail scene in recent years as various brands such as Times and Epigram Books closed physical outlets, squeezed by high rentals and thin profits. When asked about Books Kinokuniya's future plans in Singapore, the spokesperson said: 'We would consider opening a new store if the right venue and price come together.' THE STRAITS TIMES
