It’s stifling hot outside, the crowds are everywhere, and you just can’t seem to hear your own thoughts. If you feel like you’ve got a pocket of free time while out and about, and are seeking a slice of quiet, let it be one with a good book in hand; overpriced coffee and hipster glasses optional. Here’re 16 local bookstores to get your dose of literary enjoyment.
AllScript Magazines
AllScript Magazines
Ana Bookstore
Widely known as the humble secondhand bookstore nestled on level five of Far East Plaza shopping mall, Ana Bookstore boasts nearly 80 years of history in Singapore following one relocation from Bras Basah Road and operates as a family-owned business. A true sanctuary for literary enthusiasts thanks to its old world charm, this spot proudly carries titles you might not find elsewhere, besides giving used books a new lease of life. Owner Noorul Islam is even fondly known to his loyal patrons as Mr Bean, and can be consulted on his treasure trove of good reads anytime. #05-01 Far East Plaza
Basheer Graphic Books
Basheer Graphic Books
Books Ahoy!
Books Ahoy!
Cat Socrates
Cat Socrates
It’s in the name itself; if you’re a quirky catlady (we all are at heart) with a taste for literary and philosophical thought, you’ll feel right at home here. We mean that literally, once you step into its cosy interiors and enter into a world filled with sweet little trinkets sure to evoke nostalgia and memories from times long gone. Slip your pens into these Wheniwasfour Multi-Purpose Pouches and pledge your love to chilli crab, set your necessary mug of hot tea down on a beautiful Tile Coaster, and pick up the Fashionary Fashionpedia for a classy coffee-table centerpiece. You won’t be able to resist the allure of the pretty book covers shelved here, nor the assortment of locally-designed knick-knacks, so let your hands and mind roam free. If you’d much rather shop from the comfort of your bed, their store is online too; though you’d want to personally say hi to their adorable feline furries, Zoo-zoo and Chestnut. Two outlets, #02-25 Bras Basah Complex, 231 Bain St. or 448 Joo Chiat Rd.
City Book Room
City Book Room
Comics World
Comics World
Evernew Bookstore
Sprawling with vintage finds such as autobiographies and even earlier editions of classics, Evernew Book Store is also a hit in the Bras Basah Complex. Having been around since 1988, the shop started off as a Chinese book vendor before introducing English titles into its collection. These days, they mostly deal secondhand books in both languages to offer affordable literature to all. The purveyor of reads has also launched an e-store, where you can find books spanning genres from self-help to popular fiction. #01-07 Bain St.
Gohd Books
Gohd Books. Credit: Lifestyle Asia
Fancy yourself a highbrow intellectual? Gohd Books is your place to be; its shelves are stocked with antiquarian and rare books, leather-bound and pages well-aged. Gently page through books like Da Vinci’s Codex Madrid (a super rare book of his inventions), trace your finger along the ornate gold gilt on the spines of George Eliot’s Romola, and train your eye on rare Japanese reproduction prints. Surrounded by masterpieces probably older than your grandparents. Currently only operating online, simply peruse their offerings here. #01-37 Burlington Square, 175 Bencoolen St.
Grassroots Book Room
Grassroots Book Room
Open since 1995, the Grassroots Book Room has provided cosy respite for local book nerds for close to 25 years now. The previous occupants of the site at North Bridge Center have since shifted to the first floor of a shophouse, furnished with old-timey leather chairs and eclectic knick knacks to further amp up the nostalgia factor. OG fans of the bookstore would be pleased to know it still religiously stocks books on Chinese and foreign history, Chinese modern literature and Chinese philosophy, but they’ve also added picture books and food-writing books into their rotation. They’ve even got Western and Japanese translation literature, and unapologetically local titles if you’re ready for some genuine cross-cultural immersion. Though its tall book shelves and quaint interiors are conducive for nerding alone, watch out for their themed exhibitions every one to two months, that will pique your intellectual curiosity and makes for a lovely afternoon activity. 25 Bukit Pasoh Rd.
Epigram Coffee Bookshop
Epigram Coffee Bookshop
A riveting read coupled with an aromatic cuppa is one of life’s simplest, yet greatest, pleasures. And at the Huggs-Epigram Coffee Bookshop, a collob opening by the cafe chain and the local book publisher, you’ll find exactly that. Only Singapore books are found here, with over 400 titles stocked at any one time. Plus, you won’t only get Epigram titles here, but also those from other local publishing houses, which is generous of them to say the least. For brews, local kopi is available, in addition to the more regular cafe fare. You can even have a proper lunch here if you wish. You might even find a local author or artist occupying one of the seats during opening hours. Feel free to just walk up and have a chat. 45 Maxwell Rd.
Littered with Books
Littered With Books
Select Books
Woods In The Books
Woods In The Books
Just down the street from BooksActually, Woods In the Books nestles a whimsical escape from reality for both kids and the young at heart. Step right through the turquoise door, and enter on into a world of saturated colours and vivid dreamscapes, sure to pique your little one’s imagination. Prepare to be enchanted by the curated selection of picture books, or pick up hard-to-find reads like Mao and Me, a hard-hitting tome about political upheaval during the cultural revolution, and an illustrated interpretation of Persian classic The Conference of the Birds. An afternoon here is a visual treat for all, but adventures are for those who let their imagination run wild in the literary wilderness. 3 Yong Siak St.