Taiwan's Eslite Spectrum bookstore set to open in KL on Dec 17

Eslite Spectrum Kuala Lumpur will offer a selection of English, Chinese, Bahasa Malaysia and Japanese books, as well as handmade items, lifestyle brands, design and a themed coffee cafe. Photo: Eslite

Book lovers, rejoice! Taiwanese Eslite Spectrum Co’s first flagship bookstore in South-East Asia will be opening at The Starhill mall in the heart of Kuala Lumpur on Dec 17.

According to The Starhill website, its new anchor tenant's store concept focuses on the dynamism and vibrant energy of creative exchange between Malaysia and Taiwan.

Eslite Spectrum Kuala Lumpur's design concept - "a voyage of exploration" - is inspired by the novel Invisible Cities by Italian author Italo Calvino. The store will be divided into four main city themes (City Of Arches, City Of Rippling Waves, City Of Eternal Day and The Floating CIty), each bringing visitors on a different journey of discovery.

Local design collective Loka Made was roped in to work on the interior decoration and to bring the four cities theme to life, with design elements such as arches set in red brick walls, colourful canopies and ring-shaped ceilings.

Eslite is one of the largest retail bookstore chains in Taiwan, with over 40 stores there - including a 24-hour bookshop - and branches in Hong Kong, China and Japan.

Eslite Spectrum Kuala Lumpur will offer a selection of English, Chinese, Bahasa Malaysia and Japanese books, as well as handmade items, lifestyle brands, design and a themed coffee cafe. There will also be products exclusively imported from Taiwan and a selection of popular stationery brands from Europe, the US and Japan.

In conjunction with its opening next month, more than 30 arts and cultural activities have been planned.

In July this year, Tsutaya Books, Japan’s largest bookstore chain, opened its first South-East Asian bookstore outlet in Malaysia at Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.