Times Bookstores shuts last outlet in Holland Road, exits Singapore
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A first warning sign came in 2019 when it wound up its Centrepoint branch, once one of the biggest bookstores in Singapore at 8,000 sq ft.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE – Times Bookstores will end nearly five decades of operations in Singapore as the lease for its last remaining outlet at Cold Storage Jelita in Holland Road runs out in September.
The English book retailer, which has not responded to queries from The Straits Times on the matter, bid farewell in a statement on Instagram on Sept 16, inviting readers to visit it one final time.
“Our happily ever after has finally come,” it said, after several posts about moving-out sales for its final outlet. “It is with both a heavy heart and a sense of fulfilment that we announce the closure of Times Bookstores.”
The writing has been on the wall for several years for the former book giant established in 1978, as it faced high rents, low foot traffic and weak sales.
The group owned by regional consumer group Fraser and Neave shut its Plaza Singapura and Waterway branches in February, prompting an outpouring of sentiment from the literary community here about how Singapore can better protect its bookstores.
In 2019, a warning sign came when Times Bookstores wound up its Centrepoint branch,
Covid-19 dealt another major blow to the business, as two outlets ceased operations without fanfare at Marina Square and Paragon in 2021.
It is unclear what Times Bookstores’ next steps are, although its book distribution business in Singapore – where it places books printed by international and local publishers it represents into bookstores – continues to operate.
The last day of operations for Times Jelita is Sept 22.
Times’ closure leaves only a few players on the scene. Books Kinokuniya, Singapore’s largest bookstore, has been at Takashimaya Shopping Centre since 1999, and ST has reached out to landlord Toshin Development Singapore about its fate.
A spokesperson said the bookstore’s lease is ongoing, but did not reveal dates for contract renewal. “As an anchor tenant, Books Kinokuniya is a key valued partner that we closely engage through regular discussions, to keep in trend to appeal to the patrons.”
