TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The popular local bookstore, Eslite Xinyi, bid an emotional farewell on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) as it officially closed its doors. Visitors expressed their gratitude and farewells on a memorial board, leading to tearful moments.
In its final two days, the store saw an unprecedented influx of visitors, with over 150,000 people, causing significant traffic congestion in the area.
Over its 18-year existence, the Eslite Xinyi Store hosted an estimated 200 million visitors, averaging 10 million annual visits. The primary reason for the closure was the Uni-President Group's decision, the store's landlord, to reclaim the land for redevelopment.
After the closure of Eslite Dunnan, the world's first 24-hour bookstore in 2020, Eslite Xinyi continued the tradition. This role will now pass to the Songyan store, commencing on Jan. 20.
The Songyan Store will become the new 24-hour bookstore and is expected to triple its book capacity. Before Songyan's renovation is complete, the Nanxi store will temporarily assume the 24/7 role for 28 days.
Upon completion, Songyan is anticipated to shine alongside the Taipei Dome and boost traffic in the Eastern District by 30% to 50%, according to reports.