Eslite Bookstore, a renowned cultural landmark from Taiwan, has finally opened branches in mainland China. The first two locations are situated beside Jinji Lake in Suzhou and inside Shanghai Tower in Shanghai. While the Shanghai location has not yet opened, the Suzhou store welcomed its first visitors at the end of last year. At that time, it was packed on weekends, and reportedly required waiting in long lines just to get in. Since it was also winter, I didn’t have much opportunity to experience it then. Now that spring has arrived, it’s the perfect chance for a spring outing. The nearby Shin Kong Place has also opened; I never expected so many trendy, boutique-style shops to pop up around Jinji Lake in Suzhou. Simply strolling around and browsing is a great option in itself.
The famous grand staircase
Atrium
Bookstore entrance
This Eslite Spectrum houses over 200 brands. On the ground floor and B1 level, you’ll find relatively independent shops and counters, including cafés, restaurants, clothing stores, accessory boutiques, flower shops, and more. Meanwhile, the second and third floors are dedicated to the bookstore itself. The other retail spaces blend seamlessly with the bookstore, without any distinct boundaries. This approach is quite clever, making the experience far more engaging than simply browsing a traditional bookstore. For instance, various sauces and cookware are displayed next to cookbooks, while skincare products are placed alongside beauty books. Shelves and books are arranged together to complement each other, and there are even spaces for kitchens, reading, and exhibitions.
It is undeniable that traditional bookstores are struggling more and more. This isn’t necessarily because people no longer want to read; rather, due to the unmatched convenience and price advantages of online shopping, along with the rise of e-books, the business model of relying solely on book sales is attracting fewer customers. Many bookstores have already tried offering coffee and dining options, as well as organizing events such as lectures and meet-and-greets. But this still falls short. Eslite Bookstore is clearly an innovative benchmark in this field. What can a bookstore ultimately become? Is it meant for buying books, or for reading them while generating revenue through other means? At Eslite, you’ll discover that a bookstore can actually be a place where you happily spend an entire day.
Photos taken with SONY A5100 + 16-50 f3.5-5.6, post-processed in Lightroom.
Support
