 Book cafes offer thousands of interesting books. (Photo: Nguyen Thuy) |
Book coffee shops offer customers a relaxing and green space to enjoy drinks while reading. This is a venue for those who seek a comfortable reading shelter.
“When going to a bookstore, I spend a lot of time checking out the books that I want, but a bookstore normally doesn’t have a comfortable reading space. I think a model combining a bookstore and a coffee shop is a good one,” said Tran Ngoc Thien Thanh of Ho Chi Minh City.
Nha Nam Book N’Coffee, Ca Chep-Café & Bookstore, The Wiselands Coffee, and Tan Viet Bookstore are all successful models of book cafes. Most of them are located in a quiet place with modern and eye-catching decor to attract readers.
Small-scale book cafes, including Tranquil Books and Coffee, Le Petit Café, the Book Coffee have also become popular in many cities.
Meanwhile, large-scale book coffee shops with thousands of books attract a large number of customers, especially at the weekend.
“We aim to encourage the reading culture and create a comfortable space for the customers to enjoy their reading,” said Dang Thi Mong Tuyen, the owner of Hai An bookstore in district 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
 Le Petit Café. (Photo: tapchicongthuong.vn) |
A small bookstore named “Bookstore and stories” owned by Phan Ngoc Phan in the Mekong River city of Can Tho is a regular destination for many young readers. The bookstore is located near universities and is beautifully decorated to cater to the needs of young readers.
“Online reading doesn’t seem interesting to young readers. Many prefer to go to bookstore and meet other readers in person. When readers visit my bookstore, I help them choose suitable books. Sometimes, readers may get confused in such large number of books,” said Phan.
Book coffee shops with unique decor like Phan’s model also attract many young customers to come check it out. Duong Pham Duy Khanh, a student of Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, said, “Phan’s book cafe is different from any other shops that I have ever visited. This is an ideal place for group meetings and reading. The atmosphere is cozy and friendly.”
The book coffee shop model opens a cultural space which helps encourage reading habits in the community.