Bookstore Transformation

[Anchor Lead]

Mom and pop bookstores are losing ground these days, increasingly cornered by mega book chains and online bookstores. In Incheon, a local bookstore is gaining popularity after residents formed a cooperative and transformed the place into a cultural venue.

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At one corner of this bookstore, a performance stage is prepared, fully equipped with instruments. At another corner, an art exhibition by an up-and-coming painter is under way. Nearly 40% of this one-thousand-square-meter-large venue is devoted to culture and the arts. Run by a cooperative association, this bookstore resembles a local community center where mothers and children gather for fellowship and activities. The cooperative currently boasts a membership of some 310 people. The organization first started out as a hobby book reading club based in Incheon in 2009. It then went on to open a bookstore in September last year after which many more like-minded people joined the cooperative.

[Soundbite] Lee Seon-ah(Namdong-gu Dist., Incheon) : "This place is not to make profit for a single owner but is run by a community cooperative."

Small gatherings such as reading discussions are constantly held in a seminar room at the bookstore. On weekends, experts are invited for lectures. Cultural programs are also designed by incorporating customer feedback. As a result, the bookstore was recognized by Incheon City last month for its efforts to facilitate neighborhood bookstores.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-pil(Bookstore CEO) : "I hope this place can become a pride for locals and a cherished asset to the community."

As corporate-style mega chain bookstores are all the rage these days, this exemplary model in Incheon showcases the future of a localized grassroots cultural venue.