'Tsutaya Bookstore' Phnom Penh

[orichá]

Tsutaya Bookstore has opened a branch at ÆON 1 this week in Phnom Penh. It's 1,500 sq.m. and has 70,000 books and a lovely looking coffee shop... I first encountered the Tsutaya phenomenon in Singapore, on Orchard Road around 2015 or 16. Looking forward to paying a visit...

https://www.phnompenhpost.com/gallery/t ... n-cambodia

[Jkcliche]

I hate going to malls, but ended up at Aeon yesterday and found Tsutaya. it’s the complete opposite of the rest of the mall: calm, ordered, and interesting.

The café looks really good - there are some charging stations with low tables if you want somewhere quiet to finish some work.

Most books are sealed, so you can’t just treat it like a library, and there’s overpriced art on display, notebooks and stationery + things like lucky cat figurines and some fun Japanese strangeness. But from my 15 minutes in there, they’ve curated loads of beautiful books.

If you’ve got kids and want them craving something other than an iPad, they’ve got a great kids/YA section too (not sure what languages are looked after though). Comics as well if that’s more your thing.

It’s actually a nice place to be, but maybe that’s just the surprise of being somewhere that fleetingly feels familiar. After a second visit, the veneer might start to fade.

[cabron]

I hate going to malls, but ended up at Aeon yesterday and found Tsutaya. it’s the complete opposite of the rest of the mall: calm, ordered, and interesting.

The café looks really good - there are some charging stations with low tables if you want somewhere quiet to finish some work.

Most books are sealed, so you can’t just treat it like a library, and there’s overpriced art on display, notebooks and stationery + things like lucky cat figurines and some fun Japanese strangeness. But from my 15 minutes in there, they’ve curated loads of beautiful books.

If you’ve got kids and want them craving something other than an iPad, they’ve got a great kids/YA section too (not sure what languages are looked after though). Comics as well if that’s more your thing.

It’s actually a nice place to be, but maybe that’s just the surprise of being somewhere that fleetingly feels familiar. After a second visit, the veneer might start to fade.


[/quote Brown Coffee also a new location at the end of the main floor, very well appointed and silent, good place to relax away from the shopping area.

[Bill Shakey]

I went to check it out a couple of days ago but there was a queue of about 50 people waiting to get in so didn't bother hanging around.

It's good to see a book store opening as opposed to them closing which seems to be more the case in recent years.

Glad to see Monument Books are still here. They're expensive but have always been a great source of books about this region.

[ali baba]

I went on Monday lunch time and was surprised by how busy it was. They had a modest section dedicated to Asian literature, if they update and rotate the selection it will be worth regular visits.

[xavoy]

I went to check it out a couple of days ago but there was a queue of about 50 people waiting to get in so didn't bother hanging around.

It's good to see a book store opening as opposed to them closing which seems to be more the case in recent years.

Glad to see Monument Books are still here. They're expensive but have always been a great source of books about this region.

Monument Books is still at Aeon 1?! Perhaps I'm daft, but I have looked a few times recently, and not been able to find it

I went on Monday lunch time and was surprised by how busy it was. They had a modest section dedicated to Asian literature, if they update and rotate the selection it will be worth regular visits.

Shame about the queues even on a weekday, may leave it a few weeks before checking it out.

[Bill Shakey]

Monument books have gone from Aeon #1. They used to have a store at the airport in Phnom Penh but I think that's gone as well, or is a mere shadow of its former self. They also had a store in Yangon and another in Pakse of all places but they've probably gone as well?

[xtreme]

Monument was displaying HIS biography recently. Probably under pressure.

If Tsutaya's owner is monitoring this thread.

Remove the shrinkwrap, having it on will make you lose sales.

[xavoy]

Monument books have gone from Aeon #1. They used to have a store at the airport in Phnom Penh but I think that's gone as well, or is a mere shadow of its former self. They also had a store in Yangon and another in Pakse of all places but they've probably gone as well?

Thanks Bill, thought as much. Don't get to Aeon often, but haven't seen it in years.

If Tsutaya's owner is monitoring this thread.

Remove the shrinkwrap, having it on will make you lose sales.

SECONDED!

I have decided against purchasing tens of books because I couldn't give it a once over.

Unless it's a classic or I know the author well and have already decided I'm buying, I'm not buying a book I can't flick through.

I understand why it might be necessary in Asia with the humidity, but there's no excuse in an air conditioned mall.

[cabron]

I hate going to malls, but ended up at Aeon yesterday and found Tsutaya. it’s the complete opposite of the rest of the mall: calm, ordered, and interesting.

The café looks really good - there are some charging stations with low tables if you want somewhere quiet to finish some work.

Most books are sealed, so you can’t just treat it like a library, and there’s overpriced art on display, notebooks and stationery + things like lucky cat figurines and some fun Japanese strangeness. But from my 15 minutes in there, they’ve curated loads of beautiful books.

If you’ve got kids and want them craving something other than an iPad, they’ve got a great kids/YA section too (not sure what languages are looked after though). Comics as well if that’s more your thing.

It’s actually a nice place to be, but maybe that’s just the surprise of being somewhere that fleetingly feels familiar. After a second visit, the veneer might start to fade.

I was there today around lunch time, no waiting line just walk through. Everything is just as described in the above post, except one detail the coffee sucks bigtime, I don't know if it was a bad batch or if it's the normalnorm.