Places

BooksActually Closes Iconic Tiong Bahru Store After 14 Years, Will Go Online Fully

BooksActually Closes Tiong Bahru Store For Good After Months Of Not Opening

Whether you’re a hipster reader, lover of local literature or just a curious explorer, you may have passed by a quaint bookstore in the quiet neighbourhood of Tiong Bahru.

Tucked away in an alley, BooksActually thrived on adventurous minds who seek the store out, but now, its time has come to an end.

Source

After operating solely online for several months, BooksActually is closing the physical store for good.

Store has been closed for several months

Staff members and owner Kenny Leck announced the news in a candid post on their website early Sunday morning (13 Sep).

Source

True to the store’s aesthetics, the rather sad news was delivered in a creative, conversational format that belied the heartbreak.

Source

Like many shops, BooksActually had to close during the ‘CircuitBreaker’ period and take its business online.

However, the store stayed close for months after, spelling an inevitably permanent goodbye.

 

Books still on sale via web store

Singapore literary aficionados need not worry, as BooksActually will still be operating online.

Its publishing branch Math Paper Press is also alive and well, so you can expect more exciting local literature.

Source

Instead of tiptoeing to peek at the upper shelves or bending to reach the ones below, you can now browse through the collections online here.

Once you’ve decided what to buy, add to cart and check out.

BooksActually events will return in Phase 3

Fans of the store would know about their literary events like the annual #BuySingLit street party and 24-Hour Bookstore.

Those aren’t going away either, as owner and co-founder Kenny promises to bring them back once Phase 3 kicks in.

As for the resident cat Cake, we hope that it’s leading a comfortable life, still cosying up to books and perching atop bookshelves.

Source

Continue to support local

To hear or read about brick-and-mortar stores closing amidst a health and economic crisis isn’t news at this point, but tragic nonetheless.

Let’s show our support for our local entrepreneurs and keep their businesses running, in this case, by shopping online.

We hope that BooksActually can indeed continue to be Singapore’s “neighbourhood” bookstore for years to come.

Featured image adapted from Twitter.

Fayyadhah Zainalabiden

Fayyadhah spends most of her free time wondering why there's nothing fun to do and wastes the rest of her time on Netflix.

Recent Posts

27-year-old electrician dies while helping restore electricity in flood victims’ home in Thailand

He was described as someone who liked helping others.

16 Dec 2024, 6:24 pm

Tourist fractures leg after being struck by train while trespassing on Taiwan railway tracks to take photos

The travel group she was with allegedly has a history of leading groups to illegally…

16 Dec 2024, 5:54 pm

Japanese family spotted ‘talking cheerfully’ while picking up litter near Tiong Bahru Plaza

The resident who shared the heartwarming sight was inspired to use the incident as a…

16 Dec 2024, 5:49 pm

‘Docile, quiet house guests’: S’pore family peacefully co-exists with large swarm of bees on terrace

Even their dog managed to emerge unscathed after investigating the bees.

16 Dec 2024, 5:22 pm

Retiree wins S$6.5 million lottery jackpot in M’sia by betting on family’s car plate numbers

He plans to use his newfound wealth to ensure a comfortable retirement.

16 Dec 2024, 4:32 pm

Half-marathon in China offers cow as top prize, wild fish & chickens also up for grabs

The winner also has the option of exchanging the cow for 6,000 yuan (approximately S$1,000)…

16 Dec 2024, 2:22 pm