by KENNY CHEE

BOOK-LOVERS who visit bookstores these days will get their fill of so much more than fiction.

Alongside books, some bookstores sell cookies, while others sell collectibles.

And that's in line with market demand, say bookshop owners, who add that, thanks to bookstores like Borders - which opened a cafe alongside the bookstore at its Orchard Road branch in 1997 - consumers now expect more from their favourite bookshops.

Related link: » Lifestyle bookstores to visit

Thus, bookstores with a lifestyle spin have sprouted up over the years. For example, Earshot Cafe, managed by The Arts House, got its start in 2005; and Casual Poet in New Bridge Road opened in 2008.

Ms Phua Shiuan Ling, manager for arts development at The Arts House, said lifestyle bookstores could be becoming increasingly popular as cafe and coffee culture becomes more a part of Singaporeans' lives.

Aside from being a bookstore- cafe that carries CDs, Earshot also hosts band performances.

Over at BooksActually in Club Street, the draw, aside from its book selection, lies in its stock of vintage collectibles, from glassware to rubber stamps. The lifestyle concept it adopted was more accidental than deliberate, said the store's co-owner, Ms Karen Wai.

"When we started out, we simply surrounded ourselves with things we liked. Often, many indie bookstores reflect their owners' personalities," said Ms Wai, who sources BooksActually's lifestyle offerings from flea markets and curio shops.

Bookstore chain Popular has got into the game too. Its prologue outlet in Orchard Turn, opened last month, boasts a cafe that serves organic coffee and cookies. The store also offers a selection of jazz music.

But while some lifestyle bookstores here are doing well - Borders in Orchard Road is still the world's most profitable outlet based on sales per square foot, according to the chain - the lifestyle concept is not always a success.

Times Bookstores, for example, revamped its then main store at The Centrepoint and put a cafe in it in 2002. But it downsized the store in 2003 and shed its cafe in the process.

MPH Bookstores is moving away from the lifestyle concept as well, said Mr Matthias Low, retail merchandising manager for MPH. "We want to be seen as a serious bookseller...more substance than style," he said.

Still, the lifestyle concept is becoming so popular that even second-hand bookstores like San Bookshop aspire towards it.

Ms Melissa Low, its co-founder, has considered opening a three-storey bookstore with a cafe, but rising rents make this dream difficult to realise.

"If you can afford it, a lifestyle concept is great. But what's still tantamount in the business is knowing what books customers want," she said.

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