Taipei Travel

9 Must-Visit Independent Bookstores in Taipei City
The Wonders of Reading

Article｜You Ziying Photos｜Shi Chuntai

For some, reading is a way to acquire knowledge, and to nurture the soul. For others, reading is part of a refined lifestyle. Taipei City is home to many independent bookstores, each providing a unique space for reading. Among these, some are hubs for social change and public discourse, some offer specialty books and a space for book-lovers with distinguished tastes to go, and some are in renovated old buildings given new life, allowing both building and books to tell stories and inspiring dialogue on design. In these spaces we not only engage in conversations with books, but also mine creativity, and connect with society and the world.

▲ Spending time with books in an old house brings moments of serenity. (Photo: Shi Chuntai)

When Bookstores Are Not Only Bookstores
These bookstores break through the stereotype of what a bookseller is, aspiring to be spaces presenting us with the realm of possibilities. For instance, what is a secondhand bookstore by day can be transformed into a space for discussion of public issues by night, welcoming young people with different ideas to communicate, debate, and inspire one another. Alternatively, a bookstore can combine coffee, exhibits, and books, turning historical buildings into salons where writers, artists, and musicians spark wave upon wave of cultural revolutions. Bookstores can also serve as a platform for local agricultural products, devoted to food education, introducing people to local goods, and supporting local Taiwan agriculture.

▲ Spatial design can transform reading into a lifestyle experience. (Photo: Shi Chuntai)

In this day and age, running a bookstore can be tough. However, some have chosen to go against the tide and open a specialty bookstore, providing books of distinguished taste. A group of travel-loving friends pour their passion for travel into a little shop, sharing travel stories with fellow travelers of the world; a couple who dreamed of teaching their children English in a more interesting way decided to open a bookstore specializing in illustrated books, to bring happiness to the younger generation. A diehard mystery fan realized his dream of building a gathering spot filled with old secondhand items and detective titles that welcomes readers to test their wits solving cases.

▲ Yue Yue Bookstore launches gentle cultural revolution to promote reading. (Photo: Shi Chuntai)

Unique Spaces Complement the Reading Experience
There are many old buildings brimming with stories in Taipei. When such spaces are used to display books, they provide an excellent reading experience. For instance, an old Japanese-style dormitory has been renovated to serve as a library. Serenity flows through every corner, sheltering those who wish to sit quietly in dialogue with the books. A century after being built, the first Western-style pharmacy has now been converted into a nostalgia-rich bookstore showcasing the glamor and charm of the 1920s. An old hospital has been dressed in new clothes, turned into a modern space integrating collaborative-use studio and reading. The carefully selected books in the fields of art and design provide a source of inspiration for designers.

▲ Lovers of detective stories and noir novels must visit Murder Ink. (Photo: Shi Chuntai)

Bookstores can do so much more than sell books, becoming spaces for lifestyle experiences and creativity. The Taipei reading experience is one continually filled with surprises.