A dusty shelf lined with scores of worn books and an elderly gentleman on a mission to keep the love for reading alive in our generation.
Enter this 67-year-old granddad, Mr Noorul Islam, owner of Ana Book Store — a secondhand shop dedicated to rehoming pre-loved books in the heart of the city.
A viral tweet by a patron on Monday (12 Aug), placed a spotlight on the affordable books sold at the only old-school secondhand bookstore left in Orchard.
The Twitter user shared that the uncle she met was “very nice” and had observed her walking near the shop.
She also learned that he works alone in the store, and implored her book-loving friends to consider paying this humble establishment a visit.
Walking away with 2 books for $16, seemed like a steal for her. You can either choose to rent or buy a book from the store.
We spotted Archie comics, Dan Brown’s trilogy hidden within the stacks of books — perfect for those who like embarking on a treasure hunt for a new read.
If you need recommendations on a book title to delve into, don’t forget to ask Mr Islam himself. The Twitter user affirms that he’s “very knowledgeable” about the books under his purview.
She claims that even guests from other countries buy books from him. Turns out, Mr Islam began learning the tools of the trade from the tender age of 10.
After his father passed away at 12, his grandfather led the charge with him, to keep the business alive.
Mr Islam has had his fair share of admirers in the hey-day of the bookstore, after a passer-by claimed he looked like ‘Mr Bean’.
Displayed on the walls of his quaint shop are rustic newspaper clippings of interviews calling him “The Mr Bean Of Singapore”.
He cracks a charming smile and self-deprecating joke in this documentary by Channel NewsAsia in 2017, quipping humourously,
He is a white bean, I’m a brown bean. The newspapers came to know about it and they interviewed me.
Mr Islam’s bookstore has also served people from all walks of life, from Members of Parliament, the late Foreign Minister S Rajaratnam, judges and even ministers from other countries.
There’s no better time to get back into the reading habit than paying this inspiring local bookstore a visit.
Address: Far East Plaza #05-01, 14 Scotts Road, S’pore 228213
Opening Hours: 12pm to 8pm (Mon-Sat), 1pm to 6pm (Sun)
Nearest MRT Station: Orchard MRT
Facebook Page: Ana Book Store
We’re glad that even with so many larger chain bookstores closing down, this business has withstood the test of time.
Hopefully, Mr Islam’s loyal following and new fans will help ensure this bookstore remains open for a long time to come.
Featured image adapted from Channel NewsAsia via YouTube.
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Though stallholders had seen her there, none of them reported it to the authorities.
His cause of death is unknown.
The items covered the entire expanse of the corridor.
It never hurts to be prepared if you’re travelling to earthquake-prone regions.
SIA had offered 10,000 KrisFlyer miles each, but they turned down the offer.