If you’re like me, you love reading books but hate spending money.
It’s such a pleasurable experience to scour bookstores, picking up and flipping through a dozen books before you choose your favourite.
But then you turn the book over to check the price and your smile falls to the ground never to return again.
Well, one bookstore might help thrifty bibliophiles like you and me.
A treasure trove of books
On the fifth level of Far East Plaza, a paradise for book lovers awaits.
Named Ana Book Store, the little-known bookstore is the last secondhand book store in Orchard.
Decades ago, there were several competitor bookshops at the shopping centre that made it a book lover’s paradise.
Now, in this digital age, Ana Book Store is one of the few remaining secondhand book stores left in the country.
A Lifelong Business
The owner, Mr Noorul Islam, had to learn the trade when he was just 10 years old. He took over the business along with his grandfather at the age of 12, when his father passed away.
Now 67, Mr Islam continues to sit in the same book store offering cheap books and reliable book recommendations.
Not only are books cheaper at Ana Book Store, but you can also find gems like old books and comics and even books that are out-of-print.
Moreover, Mr Islam has a special system in place where you could buy a book, read it, and get a refund if you return it.
That’s especially useful for book buying junkies because there’s nothing worse than buying an expensive book and only to discover that you don’t like it.
Well in Mr Islam’s store, you could simply return it and get your money back.
Loyal customers include former Members of Parliament, lawyers, judges, academics, and even the occasional ministers from neighbouring countries, he said in an interview with CNA.
One customer certain enjoyed her trip to Mr Islam’s store, and shared her experience in a Twitter post:
She claimed that the owner was “very nice” and urged fellow bookworms to visit his store.
‘Mr Bean’
Not only is the owner nice and knowledgable about books, but he also bears a passing resemblance to Mr Bean.
One family stopped him along Orchard Road to take a photo because they thought he looked a little like the comic character.
Speaking to CNA, he said “After taking the picture, they told me, ‘Uncle, you look like Mr Bean’. I said ‘I do? He is a white bean, I’m a brown bean’,” he laughed.
Mr Islam is one of the few remaining book store owners with a genuine passion for books. He says he’ll keep working at the bookstore until his “two legs and two hands don’t move”.
His bookstore is full of hidden old gems tucked away in dusty shelves waiting to be brought back to life.
So, what are you waiting for?
Head to Ana Book Store for some cheap books, antique comics, and maybe even a Mr Bean impersonation if you’re lucky.
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