A new independent bookstore, which proffers only local books, is fast becoming a platform for burgeoning Singaporean writers.
INSIDE THE NEWLY established Huggs-Epigram Coffee Bookshop, located within The URA Centre in bustling Chinatown, sits an 11-metre long bookshelf that extends from floor to the ceiling. Sitting in neat rows is an eclectic selection of books, which run the gamut from local literary novels to multilingual graphic novels.
Opened in March, the 40-seater bookshop is a partnership between Singapore’s largest independent publisher Epigram Books and homegrown coffee chain Huggs Coffee. HuggsEpigram Coffee Bookshop is the first of its kind to sell only books — over 400 titles — written about the city, penned by Singaporean authors, or published locally.
“When we set up Epigram Books nearly eight years ago in publishing, we wanted to champion Singapore literature and books,” says Edmund Wee, founder of Epigram Books. “Extending our operations into the retail scene is marked by this same desire.”
Huggs-Epigram Coffee Bookshop is a cabinet of curiosities featuring works from Singapore literary pioneers, such as Goh Poh Seng and Edwin Thumboo, and contemporary classics to novels like Kevin Kwan’s “Crazy Rich Asians” trilogy. Joining their ranks are international graphic novels and picture books, which have been translated to English, to appeal to the younger generation.
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