It’s a sad, sad time for bookworms in Singapore. Following the sudden announcement of Times Bookstores closing down, comes the news of Epigram Books’ only physical bookstore also biting the dust.
Epigram Coffee Bookshop first opened at Maxwell in early 2019 as the first bookstore to exclusively stock books by Singaporean writers and publishers – a step forward in our small, local literary scene. But with the Covid pandemic came a significant decrease in footfall, and the little nook was forced to close in 2021 after struggling with rental costs.
Eventually, the book café made a celebrated comeback after finding a home in the new Singapore Art Museum (SAM) at Tanjong Pagar Distripark that opened in 2022. But it seems like the humble book haven is still no match for our swiftly changing times, coupled with high rental and overhead costs.
According to Epigram Books, it has been a tough fight trying to keep this brick-and-mortar store alive. Various initiatives such as shuttle services, book launches, and other in-person events have been put in place, but these have been successful in bridging the gap.
There are currently no plans for Epigram Coffee Bookshop to relocate.
The silver lining is that it’s business as usual with Epigram Bookshop’s online store, which will continue to stock fiction and non-fiction reads catered towards a wide range of age groups and interests. Novels and poetry aside, you can also pick up photo books, comics, recipe books, and titles in Chinese, Malay and Tamil from its vast collection.
Until the physical store shuts forever on January 26, 2025, visitors can still drop by to discover underrated works by Singaporean wordsmiths while enjoying light bites and good brews.
Is print dying? With the switch from paperbacks to e-books – coupled with how many are ditching books altogether in favour of other forms of digital entertainment – such changes are inevitable, yet no less bittersweet. But it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. Check out our list of the best bookstores in Singapore to see where else you can get your literary fix – a majority of these are small local businesses well worth supporting.
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