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View all search resultsBookstores still bookworms’ haven during ‘new normal’
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and online marketplaces, bookstores still hold a special place in the hearts of bookworms.
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his article is part of The Jakarta Post’s "Forging the New Norm" special coverage series, on how people are forging their lives anew to adjust to the new realities of COVID-19 in Indonesia.
For some, bookstores are simply irreplaceable. Though online shops are easily accessible and e-books can be downloaded at our convenience, these cannot match the excitement of being surrounded by physical books and running your fingers along the spines to find your old favorites or discover a new escape. The smell of a freshly opened book can be compelling as well.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced numerous bookstores in Indonesia to temporarily halt their operations since March, leaving bibliophiles longing for their havens.
“I certainly miss bookstores,” managing editor of Kata Depan publishing Hestia Istiviani told The Jakarta Post. “Scrolling through an online catalogue isn’t as fun as traversing a bookstore’s aisles and stumbling upon ‘hidden gems’. Looking at book covers arranged on the shelves is enjoyable.”
As Jakarta entered the "new normal" period and the transitional large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) stage in June, numerous bookshops gradually resumed their operations.
Jakarta-based teacher Shinta Wisnugupta is among those who visited Gramedia bookstore at Grand Indonesia shopping mall, Central Jakarta, during this period. “I wanted to look for magazines or books to fill my working-from-home break time,” Shinta said. "I usually search for nonfiction or language books, which are easier to peruse physically compared with the online versions."
