Times Centrepoint fifth bookstore to close since April

Times Centrepoint bookstore will close on Sept 23 - the fifth bookstore to close since April.

A spokesman for Times Bookstores told The New Paper that the closure is "part of Times Bookstores' ongoing renewal of store locations from time to time".

But shoppers can continue to shop at the Times bookstores at Paragon and Plaza Singapura.

It is also business as usual at all other Times bookstores located at Jelita, Marina Square, Tampines 1 and Waterway Point, as well as online at GoGuru.com.sg.

This closure comes after Japanese chain Books Kinokuniya shuttered its Liang Court outlet on April 21, and local chain Popular closed its Thomson Plaza outlet on June 23 after 31 years there.

Malaysian chain MPH closed its Raffles City outlet on Sunday, and will be closing its second and last outlet at Parkway Parade on Sept 1.

Primary Six pupil Stefanie Loh is perplexed by bookstores' dwindling numbers.

She said: "I enjoy reading and I read any type of book. Where are all the bookworms going to get their books if bookstores near them close?"

Miss Grace Lee, 19, who runs a book review blog, is upset to see the bookstores go as well.

The Singapore Polytechnic student said: "Personally, I am a bookworm and I go to bookstores whenever I can. I'm afraid that by the time a decade passes, all that will be left are used bookstores and nothing else."

Times Centrepoint is having a moving out sale with 50 per cent discount for members and 30 per cent discount for non-members until Sept 23.