Digital books are handy and easier to manage but nothing compares to the real, physical ones: their smell, their weight and their look that magically gives comfort and pleasure. Hold a book in your hand and you remember the story, extracting details as if from personal memory.
With the popularity of e-books, many have predicted that paper books will become extinct. But new bookshops are popping up to serve more book lovers and sales of printed books have even gone up last year. It goes to show that bookstores are here to stay as they continue to thrive and get more creative.
In celebration of National Author’s Day (Nov. 1), we have listed our favorite bookshops in the Philippines where you can get your literary fix with the ease of GCash Scan to Pay. Nothing beats being able to buy a book even when you’re cashless.
1. Biblio
It’s a secondhand bookstore where you can score books, even rare and hard-to-find ones, for as low as Php50 and get a quick caffeine fix. They offer free coffee if you reach the minimum purchase amount of Php200. What’s extra special about this quaint bookshop is a small corner dedicated for their “Blind Date with a Book” project, where bookworms can buy books neatly hand-wrapped in brown paper with handwritten notes to give you clues alluding to the book inside.
2. Fully Booked
This 16-year-old bookstore with 25 branches nationwide has a comprehensive selection of books and over a hundred thousand titles across multiple genres. Truly a book paradise! Fully Booked is also a go-to place for vinyl records, high-quality stationery, arts and crafts, and novelty notebooks.
3. Powerbooks
It’s a specialty bookstore that doubles as a cozy library as they offer seats for customers who want some quiet reading time. It also carries every readers’ favorites—from fiction books, graphic novels, children’s books and inspiration books, among other selections.
4. National Book Store
National Book Store has been around for more than 70 years and has become a household name not only for its literary and text books. This is the top-of-mind bookstore for students and employees for its wide array of school supplies and educational toys.
5. Art Bar
This specialty store by National Book Store is a haven for artists and crafters. It houses all kinds of beautiful and inspiring art books from hand lettering to textile and oil painting, and biographies of renowned artists and painters. The store also carries top-of-the-line and exclusive collection art supplies, as well as a wide selection of craft items such as washi tapes, stickers, and calligraphy pens and ink.