Raffles City Shopping Centre will be home to a popular new bookstore from August 2025. Famous Japanese bookstore chain, Books Kinokuniya, is set to open a new outlet marking a significant development for the book-loving community in Singapore. Located on the third floor of the mall, the new bookstore will take over the space previously occupied by Challenger. This announcement has led to excitement from Singaporeans in the wake of several recent bookstore closures in Singapore. Here’s what we know about Books Kinokuniya launching at Raffles City.
Books Kinokuniya Raffles City
Books Kinokuniya announced in a Facebook post about the opening this August 2025 after the closure of their sister store NBC Stationery & Gifts in Raffles City. Therefore, the launch will be a boost for the local literary scene.
The upcoming Raffles City outlet is set to span 3,433 square feet and offer a curated selection of books and stationery. Plus, it will maintain Kinokuniya’s signature blue bookshelves that have become iconic among its patrons. In fact, a standout feature of the new store will be the tranquil Blue Room – a space dedicated to literature and immersive reading experiences designed by Kay Ngee Tan Architects. Interestingly, the thoughtful design aims to create a serene environment for visitors seeking a quiet escape within the bustling city centre.
Books Kinokuniya is known for selling books in a wide range of languages and various genres. Primarily, it focuses on Japanese and English titles, but their selection includes Chinese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Korean, Malay, and Vietnamese literature, among others.
This expansion comes at a time when Kinokuniya’s flagship store at Takashimaya is undergoing downsizing to make room for a new cafe and a reconfiguration of its book collection. Meanwhile, the Takashimaya store remains a key anchor tenant with more than 500,000 titles followed by the Bugis Junction store which will stay in operation once Raffles City opens.
Definitely, Books Kinokuniya Raffles City will offer the perfect community space for discovery, reflection, and cultural engagement.
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