With everybody buying books online today, many have stopped shopping at traditional bookstores it seems. This might certainly be the case, but there are a handful of us purists that do love the charm and serenity of a gorgeous bookstore. Once such example is Sinan Books in Shanghai.
The store is recently opened and housed in a historic building across 3 floors. Carrying both English and Chinese books, this store has become a hit with locals and expats alike.
The Sinan Mansion is located in Rue Massenet (named after the famous French composer Jules Massenet) is one of many mansions in the area that were once homes to movie stars, politicians, artists and government ministers. Today they are used creatively for retail & exhibition spaces which attracts a sophisticated crowd to the district.
SINAN in mandarin pin yin translates to “spell-sound” – a befitting name for such an amazing bookstore. China has recently seen a rise in popularity in bookstores across both Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities across the country. It seems that the younger generation, many of who are studying English, seem to connect to being in a place where they can physically interact with books.
Certainly a tale of the old becoming new again.
思南书局
517 Fuxing Zhong Lu,
near Sinan Lu
复兴中路517号, 近思南路
Tel: 139 1749 7850
