NOW & THEN #16: BOOKSHOPS

 10.3.2021 

KINOKUNIYA BOOKSHOP

When I was a student I never go to a proper bookshop in Malaysia. As students in te 60s and the 70s, we only read textbooks and books from the school libraries. Any way, I could not afford to buy any story books. I had just enough to pay my school and hostel fees. My first encounter with a real bookshop when I went to Sheffield University to study civil engineering in 1973-76.

In the 70s, Sheffield did not many bookshops back then but whenever I went to London, I visited a few bookshops. My book buying ability was very limited because my monthly allowance government scholarship was £51.00.

RIWAYAT BOOKSHOP


When I came back to Malaysia, I was posted to Kelantan and Kedah. The bookshops are mostly stationery shops and I was too busy building my career and young family with two boys. No time to visit bookshops and read books.  My active visits to bookshops began when I was transfered to KL in 1983.  There I came across Times Bookshop and MPH Bookshops.  The giant bookshops like Kinokuniya and The Borders came to KL in 2000s. Below I am sharing the brief history of bookshop business in Malaysia in the last 25 years:

Here’s a concise summary of the growth and failure of the bookshop business in Malaysia from 2000 to 2025:

Summary: Growth and Failure of Bookshops in Malaysia (2000–2025)

2000–2010: Growth and Expansion
   •   The early 2000s marked a golden era for brick-and-mortar bookshops in Malaysia.
   •   Major chains like MPH, Popular, Times, and Borders expanded aggressively, opening outlets in shopping malls nationwide.
   •   Independent bookstores also gained attention, especially in urban areas, catering to niche readers and offering curated collections.
   •   This period coincided with increased literacy rates, a booming middle class, and growing interest in education and self-development.
   •   Government initiatives like the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale (launched in 2009) and support for reading campaigns contributed to a healthy book retail ecosystem.

2011–2019: Disruption and Decline
   •   The rise of e-commerce and digital reading began impacting physical bookstores.
   •   Online platforms like Book Depository, Lazada, and Shopee gained popularity for offering discounts and convenience.
   •   E-book adoption and smartphones diverted consumer attention from printed books.
   •   Several outlets of major chains, including Borders and Times, began shutting down or downsizing.
   •   High rental costs in malls and declining foot traffic made operations unsustainable for many shops.
   •   However, some independent bookstores survived by specializing in local literature, rare books, and community-building events.

2020–2022: Pandemic Challenges
   •   The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted the industry.
   •   Lockdowns forced physical stores to close temporarily or permanently.
   •   Bookshops without strong online presence suffered significant revenue loss.
   •   However, the pandemic also led to a renewed interest in reading and growth in online book sales, benefiting digitally agile sellers.

2023–2025: Reinvention and Niche Growth
   •   The post-pandemic era saw a modest revival of book culture, especially among youth and creatives.
   •   A new wave of independent bookshops, lifestyle cafes, and hybrid spaces (e.g., book cafes, art-book stores) emerged, focusing on experience rather than volume.
   •   Social media platforms, especially Instagram and Threads, helped promote niche bookshops and literary events.
   •   Yet, traditional large-scale bookstores continued to struggle, with MPH closing most of its outlets by 2024 and shifting to online and educational services.
   •   The market stabilized, with a focus on community-driven models, curated collections, and experiential retail.

Key Takeaways
   •   Growth (2000–2010): Fueled by rising literacy, education spending, and mall culture.
   •   Decline (2011–2022): Hit by digital disruption, online competition, and the pandemic.
   •   Reinvention (2023–2025): Independent, niche, and hybrid models show promise in a leaner, more focused book retail landscape.

Back to the present, my favourite books are Kinokuniya, MPH and BookXpress and few small players like Riwayat, Jawi etc. Personally, I prefer buying books from a real bookshops to online bookshops like Amazon, Shoppe etc. Call me old school(which I am), I still like see,touch and smell the books before I buy them,so to speak. By the way, Nobles and Barnes in US is making a great come back into bookshop business by making bookshops like Starbuck.


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