The book store was full, people accidentally rubbing up against one another as they squeezed through the narrow aisles. There was the constant fear of turning too quickly, catching a bag (or an arm or even just an elbow) on a stack of books and making a mess. A cat wove its way through the sea of legs and launched itself up onto a pile of books, hissing at any customers who had the gall to want a book from its newfound tower.

BooksActually's resident cat, Pico.

BooksActually's space in Tiong Bahru has never been big, but the launch of a 10-day sale in April had achieved its intended effect. People were crammed in, poring over the selection displayed on tables and shelves. A 25 per cent discount was a crowd-puller.

The sale was part of owner Kenny Leck’s plan to raise money for a new shop, one that would release him from the nerve-wrecking inevitably of rising rental costs. It’s not the only sale he’s having, either, with another one kicking for the rest of this June.

Owner Kenny Leck (left) Source: BooksActually Facebook

Rental costs are a massive burden on any business owner in Singapore, an overhead that will only go up, never down. But Leck refuses to ask for pity or to demand for government intervention: “I think it is foolish to expect and accept any form of rent control or subsidies from the authorities. This is akin to being fed with a silver spoon. As business owners or using the haloed word, ‘entrepreneur’, we should always be up for the challenge and think out of the box for solutions to solve problems.”

BooksActually’s current location is not the easiest place to get to, but it is nevertheless home to a community of Singaporean writers, dreamers and literature lovers, as can be seen in some of the responses I got from a tweet asking for opinions on the store:

@kixes@BooksActually for the sense of kinship and a place that sells all the local and strange, wacky lit I want!

— Chelsea S. (@chelseaaasj) May 2, 2014

@kixes@BooksActually Independent bookstore. Space for readers and authors. — Joyce Chng (JDamask) (@jolantru) May 2, 2014

A multitude of events is organised at BooksActually: book launches, poetry readings, meet-the-writer sessions…it’s enough to keep any avid reader busy. It’s also proof that Singapore – often seen as staid and emotionless – does have a creative literature scene.

BooksActually’s contribution isn’t just limited to being a stockist, either. In 2005 it established Math Paper Press, publishing local poetry, fiction and anthologies.

“Through the bookstore, we had come into contact with quite a number of the local writers, and many of them became both friends, and supporters of what we were doing,” Leck said. “Through the relationships we had with the writers, we were thus given the opportunity to produce content. And in that sense, this was the natural progression.”

“The first time I had a short story published, it was in a Math Paper Press book, and the first reading I did was at BooksActually,”said JY Yang. “If not for BooksActually I don’t think I would know half as many local writers and editors as I do today. It’s a place where I – and I think many young writers such as I – became acquainted with the local writing community.”

These events currently pose a few logistical problems, as people squeeze themselves against the bookcases and crane their necks to be able to hear or see speakers and readers. Leck is hoping for a bigger space that will give everyone more room to breathe, and also to fulfil yet another dream - being able to provide a “timeout from the outside world” by having a long table in the store to host anyone who cares to drop by. In Leck’s mind, this long table would come complete with “free WiFi, oolong tea and water for all.”

The new shop space that Leck has his eye on comes with a hefty price tag of $2 million. He needs at least 23 per cent of the money up front to make a down payment: an eye-watering $460,000.

The April sale has long come and gone, the balance from the sales totted up. $98,000 had been raised. It’s impressive but still just a dint on the target. But Leck remains optimistic. “Yes, we still have some way to go but no worries, we are still working on it.”

It’s good news for BooksActually patrons, because June’s sale is even longer than April’s. After giving his customers’ wallets a month’s breathing space, Leck’s taking 25% of his books again. For the rest of the month.

In a city where overhead costs are affecting all but the biggest chain stores, numerous bookstores have already put up their white flags. Borders’ disappearance from Wheelock Place was sudden. Prologue has retreated from ION Orchard. All the bookshops in VivoCity have closed down.

When asked about what mistakes he thinks those booksellers made, Leck’s response is certain. “Not believing in their customers. And not believing in themselves as booksellers but instead relying on the publishers or distributor to dictate what is to be sold.”

He continues: “If today, I said we can sell another 10,000 copies of Catcher in the Rye in 12 months to consumers in Singapore, most of the players in the industry would think that I am nuts. But if the 20-odd outlets of Popular, Kinokuniya and the few smaller indie players were to make that a target, and display Catcher in the Rye consistently throughout the year, you'd see it happen.”

But BooksActually’s survival means more to Singapore than a place to sell Catcher in the Rye. Yang said, [quip float="pqleft"] “Kenny has built a space that not just promotes reading culture, but also propagates it. I can’t emphasise enough how important that is in a small country like Singapore.”[/quip]

Leck is determined, and resolute in his belief that there will be enough avid readers in Singapore to support bookstores. “No capitalist has been bold or balls enough to replicate what we have done here, and spin it off into an independent chain,” he said. “To see more bookstores is to see more readers. This might be the craziest idea but I am willing to take a long shot at it.”

Top photo from Cake, Pico and Lemon Facebook.  

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