For many in Singapore, unwinding after a long day means grabbing a bubble tea, catching a movie, or strolling through the shelves of Books Kinokuniya at Takashimaya Shopping Centre.
However, recent sightings of empty bookshelves have left many patrons concerned about the store’s future.
A TikTok video showing bare sections — fantasy, science fiction, religion — quickly sparked panic among book lovers, with many fearing that the bookstore was closing for good.
Thankfully, no — it’s not shutting down. But it is downsizing.
According to The Straits Times, the flagship store at Orchard Road will be reducing its space, with part of the store being taken over by a new café.
The Books Are Not Gone, They Are Relocated
The speculation that the bookstore might be closing down surfaced after a user uploaded a video on TikTok.
@candidcuisine my heart dropped 💔 jk kinokuniya is just reshelving 😉 #singapore #tiktoksg ♬ original sound – 𝐂𝚮𝚨𝐑⚡︎
The short 7-second video captured the empty shelves at Books Kinokuniya’s flagship store at Takashimaya Shopping Centre, showing the shelves empty from various sections — including religion, fantasy, and science fiction, amongst others.
As part of the changes, a café will be opening in the bookstore, though it won’t be operated by Kinokuniya itself.
The new café is set to open in the first half of 2025, bringing a new experience to Singapore’s last major bookstore.
The change comes after rental negotiations with landlord Toshin Development.
Kinokuniya’s Response
On 16 and 17 February, customers were met with rows of empty shelves at the front of the store, with staff members working hard to reorganise the space.
If you’re worried about losing your go-to bookstore, Kinokuniya has already responded.
@kinokuniya_singapore This is friendly PSA in case any of you guys have problems locating the books you want at our main store! we’re doing some shifting and relocating a bunch of books to new shelves so they may be hard to find on your own, pls don’t hesitate to ask our staff for help finding your books! #kinokuniya #kinokuniyasg #booktok #books #bookshop #bookstore ♬ eredeti hang – Griffins4U – Griffins4U
In a TikTok video posted on 22 January, the company reassured customers that the books haven’t disappeared, they’ve just been relocated. If you can’t find a title, staff members are happy to help you.
While there’s still some reshuffling happening, the store remained operational as of 17 February, according to The Straits Times.
Kinokuniya’s History of Changes
This isn’t the first time Kinokuniya has had to adjust to the changing retail landscape.
From 1999 to 2013, the flagship store occupied a massive 42,000 sq ft space on level three of Takashimaya Shopping Centre.
In 2013, however, it had to give up about 25% of that space and move to the fourth floor to make way for new retail offerings.
As of October 2024, the store spans 38,000 sq ft.
The bookstore also shut down its Jem outlet in May 2022 due to rising rental costs.
For now, Kinokuniya is still standing. But with its shrinking foot traffic and the rise of e-books, book lovers can’t help but wonder — how much longer will places like this be around?
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