‘Gone forever’: Times Bookstore bids farewell as last Singapore outlet set to close on Sept 22
After nearly five decades of serving Singapore’s reading community, Times Bookstore will close the final chapter of its presence in the country. The last remaining outlet, located at Jelita Shopping Centre, will cease operations on September 22, 2024.
In an Instagram post, Times Bookstore thanked customers for their support, writing, “After decades of creating magical memories and sharing countless stories, the time has come to close the final chapter of Times Bookstores.” “It has been our greatest honour to be a part of your reading journey.
The post added, “Thank you for letting us fill your lives with the wonder of books and the joy of imagination.” As Times Bookstore bids farewell to its physical stores, readers are invited to visit the Jelita location one last time.
Times Bookstores shuts last outlet in Holland Road, exits Singapore
A first warning sign came in 2019 when it wound up its Centrepoint branch, once one of the biggest bookstores in Singapore at 8,000 sq ft
Times Bookstores will end nearly five decades of operations in Singapore as the lease for its last remaining outlet at Cold Storage Jelita in Holland Road runs out in September.
The English book retailer, which has not responded to queries from The Straits Times on the matter, bid farewell in a statement on Instagram on Sept 16, inviting readers to visit it one final time.
“Our happily ever after has finally come,” it said, after several posts about moving-out sales for its final outlet. “It is with both a heavy heart and a sense of fulfilment that we announce the closure of Times Bookstores.” In 2019, a warning sign came when Times Bookstores wound up its Centrepoint branch, once one of the biggest bookstores in Singapore at 8,000 sq ft.
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Times Bookstores will close its last S’pore outlet on September 22
After operating for nearly four decades in Singapore, Times Bookstores announced yesterday (September 16) that it will be closing its last remaining outlet in the country at Holland Road. Its last day of operations will be on Sunday (September 22), said the business in a statement on Instagram. The bookstore chain also invited customers to pay one last visit, and “take home a piece of Times” with them. Although Times Bookstores will no longer have physical stores in Singapore, its book distribution business, which supplies books from international and local publishers to other retailers, continues to operate.
Founded in 1978, Times Bookstores is owned by regional consumer group Fraser and Neave, which has businesses in the F&B and publishing and printing sectors. The book retailer has provided a wide range of English language books across different genres, including children’s books, lifestyle and non-fiction, as well as complementary products. However, the company has been impacted by increasing rent, low sales, and rising operational costs. In 2019, Times Bookstores closed its 8,000 sqft branch at Centrepoint, which was once one of Singapore’s largest bookstores.
The pandemic exacerbated these challenges, leading the company to close its two outlets at Marina Square and Paragon in 2021. Earlier this year, it shuttered its Plaza Singapura and Waterway Point branches, leaving the outlet at Holland Road as its last remaining store. Times Bookstores’ closure leaves only a handful of prominent players in Singapore’s shrinking bookstore market.
Times Bookstores to close last outlet at Holland Road
After almost four decades in Singapore, Times Bookstores announced on Monday (Sep 16) that it will be closing its last outlet in the country.
Located at Jelita Shopping Centre on Holland Road, its last day of operations will be on Sunday, the English-language book retailer said. "After decades of creating magical memories and sharing countless stories, the time has come to close the final chapter of Times Bookstores," it said on its social media pages.
"It has been our greatest honour to be a part of your reading journey. Thank you for letting us fill your lives with the wonder of books and the joy of imagination." Established in 1978, the retailer is owned by the Southeast Asia-based Fraser and Neave group, which has businesses in the F&B and publishing and printing sectors. Times also operated outlets in Malaysia.
'Sign of the times': Times Bookstores' closure of last outlet and exit from Singapore draws emotional reactions
Bibliophiles around the country would've been feeling the Monday blues yesterday (Sept 14) after Times Bookstores announced the closure of its last outlet in Singapore.
Located at Jelita Shopping Centre at Holland Road, its final day of operation is set to be on Sept 22. This will also mark the English retailer's exit from the Singapore market after more than 40 years.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, it shared: "After decades of creating magical memories and sharing countless stories, the time has come to close the final chapter of Times Bookstores. "Thank you for letting us fill your lives with the wonder of books and the joy of imagination." It also invited the public to visit the store "one last time and take home a piece of Times with you".
Times Bookstores to close after nearly four decades in Singapore
Times Bookstores will cease operations in Singapore after nearly four decades, with its final outlet at Cold Storage Jelita closing on 22 September 2024. The closure is seen as being attributed to high rents, low sales, and rising operational costs, reflecting challenges faced by physical bookstores in Singapore.
Times Bookstores will end its operations in Singapore after nearly 40 years, as its last remaining outlet at Cold Storage Jelita on Holland Road is set to close on 22 September 2024.
In a farewell statement posted on Instagram on 16 September, the English book retailer, established in 1978, invited customers to visit the store one final time. “Our happily ever after has finally come,” the post read. “It is with both a heavy heart and a sense of fulfilment that we announce the closure of Times Bookstores.”
Times Bookstore closing last outlet at Holland Rd on Sep. 22, 2024
Times Bookstores is closing its last remaining outlet in Singapore at Jelita Shopping Centre on Sep. 22, 2024. The closure was announced by the bookstore chain on Instagram on Sep. 16.
In the post, the company said "the time has come to close the final chapter" of Times Bookstores after decades of "creating magical memories and sharing countless stories". "It has been our greatest honor to be a part of your reading journey. Thank you for letting us fill your lives with the wonder of books and the joy of imagination."
The book retailer also invited customers to pay one last visit and "take home a piece of Times" with them. Times Bookstores was established in 1978, and has provided English language books, as well as complementary products in Singapore and Malaysia for close to 40 years. The bookstore is owned by Fraser and Neave Limited.
Times Bookstores
After decades of creating magical memories and sharing countless stories, the time has come to close the final chapter of Times Bookstores. It has been our greatest honor to be a part of your reading journey. Thank you for letting us fill your lives with the wonder of books and the joy of imagination.
As we bid farewell, we invite you to visit one last time and take home a piece of Times with you. Let these treasured stories continue to spark joy and adventure for years to come. 💫
Visit us at 293 Holland Road, #02-16/17, Singapore 278628. 2nd level of Jelita Shopping Centre. Our last day of business is Sunday, 22nd September 2024. Thank you for all the support and love over the years!
Times Bookstores
Times Bookstore is a chain of bookstores in Singapore which is part of the Times Publishing Group, a unit of Fraser and Neave, which started in Singapore in 1978.
There are currently Times Bookstore stores in Macau (1 Times Bookstore at The Venetian Macao). Times Bookstore opened at Lippo Karawaci Lippo Supermall in Indonesia in 2008 Lippo Supermall location has since closed and second location at Universitas Pelita Harapan was converted to Books and Beyond in 2012.
Times Bookstore previously had operations in Singapore but however ceased from 22 September 2024.
