MPH Opens New Flagship Store At TRX, The Largest In Malaysia
The flagship store has been painstakingly crafted to transport guests to a realm of literary magic.
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.
Bookworms in Malaysia were devastated when MPH Bookstores closed down their MidValley outlet earlier this year.
It was a “second home” to many book lovers for years.
The closure is not permanent though as the biggest MPH outlet merely moved to a brand new hip location: The Exchange at TRX.
According to the CEO of MPH Bookstores, Martin Cross, the closing of the MidValley store and opening of the TRX flagship store was a question of coincidence.
…. in fact, we didn’t really necessarily want to close Mid Valley, but you know, the mall and their planned tenant mix didn’t make it easy for us to stay there. So, we refocused on opening in a brand new space where we had time to design and plan appropriately. So, I mean, it’s more a question of coincidence.
Martin Cross
He also added that the business has refocused after downsizing stores for over seven years, initially planning to focus on online sales due to Covid-19.
However, the board of directors reconsidered the business plan last year. Online sales were successful during Covid-19, but bookstores struggled, leading to store closures. Since Covid-19, online sales have declined, and people now prefer to go out and enjoy themselves.
MPH At TRX
To add to the excitement, this new flagship store has everything that a book lover needs.
Walking into the store is equivalent to walking through the doors of heaven as you are welcomed by a striking 20,000-square-foot venue with adaptable event areas perfect for master courses, workshops, author meet-and-greets, and book launches.
The flagship store has been painstakingly crafted to transport guests to a realm of literary magic.
The massive gold and glass doors entrance to this space, create a fresh, airy, and contemporary area that simultaneously pays homage to huge historical knowledge hubs like the Great Library of Alexandria in Egypt and the future of reading in the digital era.
Staying true to the MPH brand, they offer a wide range of books to cater to all age groups.
According to Cross, the range of books will continue to increase as their suppliers bring them from overseas.
We have a very experienced and large, what I call, merchandising team who are essentially the book buyers. And so they spend every day deciding what books to buy… And so they’ll talk to publishers, they’ll be talking to distributors, they’ll be receiving emails, telling them what are the latest books coming out, they’ll be reading themselves, they’ll be researching the latest pieces. That’s their career and I think they enjoy it as well
Martin Cross
Pic Credit: Keran/TRP
Reading Habits
The new flagship store with all of its intricacies and range of books has become a one-stop centre for book shopping.
However, a question prevails on the habit of reading since the world has moved into the digital era. Even children these days can be seen with mobile devices.
Thus, in this era, the general assumption is that many people have dropped the habit of reading. So, is opening such a big store a good idea?
According to Cross, the vibrancy of the store would welcome more families to come and spend time together.
Publishers and booksellers have been saying it’s in decline for hundreds of years. Yes. I mean, they always say, you know, someone invents radio. They say, well, the people are going to stop reading. And then they say, well, they’re inventing cinema. They’re going to stop reading. And then inventing television, they’re going to stop reading. And then they’re inventing the internet. They’re going to stop reading. And they’re inventing smartphones. People are still reading
Martin Cross
He added that people read for many reasons. Some read after having a hard day at work and some read just to have a quiet time for themselves.
“You know, there’s something great about readers as well that, you know, unlike watching things on TV, you actually put yourself into other people’s minds. So you understand people, you understand the world more by reading than by watching,” he said during an interview with TRP at the launch of MPH Bookstores in TRX.
Parents also want their children to read, and there are many reasons why reading is still popular. He also mentioned that people want to learn from books, and he believes that reading cover to cover helps people grow and learn.
He also believes that the new store will be a place where the reading habit can be cultivated even more in the society.
Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.
