Bookstore moving on up to boost sales
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
In the past two years, an increasing number of bookstores, both locally owned and franchises of foreign names, have opened their door.
In the 1990s, there were the slim pickings of Times and Rubino's in Plaza Indonesia, Central Jakarta, along with a few secondhand bookstores offering some gems among their old dog- eared copies, while today there are names like Books Kinokuniya, QB, Aksara or Periplus.
Aside from the companies' seizing the obviously good business prospects, the sudden influx of stores is also a good sign about the health of the local literary scene, despite the anecdotal evidence and also surveys showing the sorry reading habits of Indonesians.
Coming on board most recently is Books Kinokuniya, which has revamped and expanded its store in Sogo, Plaza Senayan, Central Jakarta. It has moved up in the department store from the second floor to the fifth, occupying a spacious area of 1,850 square meters, from the former 275 square meters.
There are over 200,000 book titles available, with 32 categories for English books, 18 categories for Japanese books and 30 categories for Chinese books.
First established here in 1990, the bookstore (there is another in Plaza Indonesia) is tapping into the increasing demand for imported books.
"The business has been good and the market is increasing. Perhaps because of globalization and the increasing numbers of international schools and foreign graduates," said Paulus Tandagi, general manager of PT Kinokunia Bukindo, the franchise holder of Japan's Books Kinokuniya.
Confident about the good prospects available, the company invested some Rp 24 billion (US$2.7 million) in the new store, with 70 percent of that amount allotted for book purchases.
Plaza Senayan remained the location because of its diverse range of visitors, from children to elderly consumers.
The company purchases English-language books, which make up about 60 percent of its entire stock, from Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States. Twenty percent of the collection is Japanese books while 10 percent is Mandarin, bought from Taiwan.
The bookstore also provides a few select Indonesian-language books, and stationary or gift items imported from Japan.
According to Paulus, the best selling categories so far are literature, design and children's books.
"Books on business and computers are also in high demand," he said.
As for the high price of imported books here -- with the margin sometimes up to Rp 100,000 from the price for the same book purchased in Singapore, for instance -- Paulus blamed it on high taxes.
"The means of purchasing it through airmail also adds to the price," he said.
Nevertheless, business is growing, and there will be a new Kinokuniya store opening in Pondok Indah Mall, South Jakarta, next year.
No, Jakarta has yet to have a bookstore like Singapore's Borders, where patrons of all ages happily find space on chairs, the floor and among the shelves, engrossed in a good book until closing time at midnight. Still, fingers crossed, we may not have to wait much longer for one to open its doors.