It’s a tough time for retail in Singapore, especially bookstores. In the span of less than half a year, we’ve seen the shuttering of the last-ever Times Bookstore on the island, as well as the demise of Epigram Coffee Bookshop and downsizing of Books Kinokuniya at Takashimaya. And now, we’ve just got word that Kinokuniya’s affiliated stationery brand NBC Stationery & Gifts will also be closing its Raffles City outlet this coming May.
Hailing from Japan, NBC first started out as a postcard company way back in the 1960s and eventually set up its first (now-defunct) store in Singapore at Liang Court in 1983. Over the years, the brand has become well-loved for not just its wide range of premium Japanese stationery, but also its character-themed merch featuring IPs like Rilakkuma, Sumikko Gurashi, Studio Ghibli, Sanrio, Smiski, Mofusand and more. Think plushies, notebooks, stickers, blind box figurines, and even jigsaw puzzles that you typically wouldn’t be able to find elsewhere in Singapore. There’s also an ever-rotating collection of Ichiban Kuji from San-X and Sanrio, where you pay a set price for a ‘lucky draw’ ticket to snag a cute sure-win prize.
Being imported from Japan, all these covetable merchandise often come with a certain price point. But as part of the closing sale, you’ll be able to snag some items at discounted rates – some for as low as 80 percent off their original prices.
The last day of operation of NBC’s Raffles City store is on May 4, 2025. The silver lining is that there are plans for relocation after this, and while no further news has been disclosed, we’re hoping that the upcoming new store will be bigger and better – not smaller – than before.
In the meantime, you can still visit NBC Stationery & Gifts’ Bugis Junction standalone outlet, its stationery corner at Kinokuniya Ngee Ann City, and its dedicated counter at Level 4 of Takashimaya Department Store. Stay tuned for updates via NBC Stationery & Gifts’ Instagram page.
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