Reading matters for Winfred Hutabarat

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A Yale graduate who has found his place in the world of books, Winfred Hutabarat wants others to return to the printed page even in the age of the Net.

Sporting a long-sleeve striped white shirt over jeans and sneakers, and with his clean, boyish look, Winfred Hutabarat could have been mistaken for one of the hip young adults working at Aksara bookstore in Kemang, South Jakarta.

Except that he is actually in his mid 30s, and is the co- founder of the bookstore, along with three business partners, including food writer Laksmi Pamuntjak.

But Winfred is far removed from the image of the intimidating and arrogant boss -- he refers to his employees as colleagues and greets each and every one of them in a friendly way.

A former Aksara employee vouched that Winfred was an attentive supervisor who treated his staff like his peers.

"Whereas he's, like, very smart, you know. I mean, he graduated from Yale," he said.

Why on earth would a graduate of one of America's most famous universities end up opening a bookstore, you ask?

"I've always liked books. At the end, it boils down to doing something you like and are passionate about. It is always enjoyable to do something that you like. That I think is very, very rewarding," said Winfred, a graduate in international relations.

Still, for all his years spent at such a prominent university, the funds spent by "very generous parents" and the need for young, intellectual people in the government, it may seem a waste that his talents have been put elsewhere.

"I don't look at it that way. I do things that can contribute to society in a different way. I'm doing my part by selling books to people," he said.

"Running a bookstore also requires an analytical mind, we have to be able to come up with solutions, and that's what education is for in the end. I don't think I would enjoy myself working in the government."

Indeed, in the three years since Aksara first opened in 2001, the place has grown from a rather undistinctive bookstore to an intriguing alternative site for young, cosmopolitan urbanites to find books and records (except for the funky and cute but overpriced gift items like colorful stationart and transparent clocks that we do not actually need).

"We wanted it to be more than a bookstore. We think it's fun to be selling CDs, a range of gift items, to play music in the background.... It's more of a lifestyle experience. We'd like to think that we're the only one applying that concept."

Young people, of course, love the funky gift items, but the great find is the record store, a true safe haven for music buffs to pick up rare CDs and even vinyls, or to watch performances by indie bands.

Winfred said the record section contributed about 30 percent to the store's revenue.

But the main business is still the books, mainly in English.

Aksara is perhaps one of the few retailers in Jakarta which allocates quite a big portion of its stock to architecture, arts and design.

Our interview was held on the same night of the launching of West Meets East from architect Yori Antar, bringing together a who's who of the local architecture, arts and design scenes.

"We're interested in urban affairs, including architecture," Winfred acknowledged.

A nice sign is that the number of bookstores selling English books is growing, including Aksara.

As it recently opened its third branch in Plaza Indonesia, Central Jakarta, Winfred said the reading habit -- something that Indonesians are severely lacking -- has grown.

"Not just for literature, but for example, when people want to build houses, they look and buy books on architecture. A lot of kids come and read and buy books, that's somewhat encouraging. There's a basic interest to get knowledge through books."

It parallels the growing local literary scene, with a lot of young talent, especially women.

"I enjoy reading Ayu Utami, some of Dewi Lestari's work... I'm not sure in terms of quality where (the local writers) are in, in comparison to their compatriots from countries with a more developed literary tradition. But the fact that they are doing and selling it, it's already a fast progression."

Along with his team, Winfred strives to provide quality books on a wide range of topics, with him focusing on nonfiction, politics and business books.

Asked about what kind of books people should read more, he said people should simply read more because, despite the Internet and all, basic knowledge still could be found in the written word.

"But to boost reading habits, accessibility in terms of pricing is important. Maybe governments should do something to boost the book industry, eliminating sales tax.... basically making it more affordable, like in India and Malaysia.

"Right now we try not to mark the price up too much. But even if we don't, it's still high."

At the moment, Winfred and his business partners are focusing on how to develop Aksara for the longer term as a sustainable business.

"We are still growing. There is a plan to open in other locations, like Bali and Bandung. But for now, we're still focusing in Jakarta. Because we'd like to be hands on, to be here in our stores to feel what's happening."