Tsutaya Books opens first outlet in Malaysia
Bookworms in Malaysia may be familiar with retailers such as Kinokuniya or BookXcess. These bookstores are known for their wide range of books and uniquely-designed spaces – they can also be found in some of the most strategic spots in our country, making them great weekend hangout spots.
Although the retail book business has seen hard times in our country – with several MPH outlets closing their doors during the pandemic – international bookstores are set to step foot in Malaysia for the first time too. This now includes the largest bookstore chain from Japan, Tsutaya Books, which opened their doors on 7th July 2022.Â
Over 264,000 books and an in-house Japanese cafe
Earlier this year, Tsutaya Books announced that they’ll be opening their first Malaysian outlet at Pavilion Bukit Jalil shopping centre, through a joint venture between Global Oriental Bhd and Japan’s Sojitz Corporation.
For the uninitiated, Tsutaya Books is one of the largest bookstore chains in Japan that distributes books, music, DVDs, and games. There are over 1,200 Tsutaya Books stores in Japan, with some even housing aesthetic cafes and art displays.
After a long wait, the bookstore revealed on their Facebook page that they’ll open their doors to the public on 7th July 2022 at 3PM. Spanning 31,000 square feet and featuring 264,000 books, the bookstore offers patrons a wide range of books in an aesthetically-pleasing space that takes the traditional concept of retail bookstores to the next level.
You can find the bookstore at Level 2 (Orange Zone) in Pavilion Bukit Jalil.
Bookworms will be intrigued by the variety of books housed in floor-to-ceiling bookshelves here – the latter also act as eye-pleasing features to take photos with.
Besides grabbing a book and snagging a seat at the various seats located around the bookstore, there’s also an in-house cafe that serves Japanese menu items such as Classic Dorayaki (RM10) and Matcha Lemonade (RM19).
The new bookstore in KL also has a children’s section for the kiddos to freely discover new titles, and a lifestyle area where shoppers can browse through stationery, artisanal goods, and even live terrariums.
Japan’s largest bookstore chain opens in Malaysia
Malaysia is now home to yet another world-famous bookstore, Tsutaya Books. So, bookworms in the country can add this spot to their their growing list of bookstores to visit in the country to check out new titles, snack on Japanese food, or simply take photos with the aesthetic bookstore’s aesthetic bookshelves.
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- Taiwan’s Eslite Bookstore opening in KL in 2022
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Cover image adapted from: TheSmartLocal Malaysia
This article was updated on 29th July 2022.Â