Wed, Oct 03, 2018 page4

• FEATURE: Bookstore’s owner strives for relevancy

  TAICHUNG LANDMARK: Chen Tzu-mei worries about the apparent dearth of new Taiwanese writers and students’ lack of interest in literature

  • By Ho Tsung-han and Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporter, with staff writer
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  Formosa Bookstore (豐原三民書局) in Taichung’s Fongyuan District (豐原), which got its start selling dangwai (黨外, “outside the party”) magazines, works by local authors and books on social, cultural and historical criticism, is marking its 41st anniversary.

  It bears no relation to the Taipei bookstore San Min Books (三民書局), although its Chinese name is similar.

  Before Formosa Bookstore moved to its current location on 30 Zhongzheng Rd, it began life at 43 Sanmin Rd as Hua Gu Book City (華谷書城).

  

  People enter Formosa Bookstore in Taichung’s Fengyuan District on Sept. 21.

  Photo: Ho Tsung-han, Taipei Times

  The couple who own Formosa Bookstore, Lee Chin-hsiang (利錦祥) and Chen Tzu-mei (陳姿媚), took over management of Hua Gu Book City in 1978 and renamed it San Min Bookstore.

  At the time, the dangwai movement was active, but the government did not allow the opposition to form a political party, and as a result, Taiwan Garrison Command officers would often inspect their store to see if it was selling dangwai magazines, Chen said.

  While they could not display such magazines in the store, regular customers were able to purchase them under the table, she said.

  In about 1981, spurred by the nation’s booming economy, the couple moved the store to larger premises at 21 Sanmin Rd that included the first floor and basement.

  They would also borrow a classroom in the cram school on the floor above to host talks and events.

  However, every time there was a typhoon or heavy rain, the store flooded.

  Once, after they used a diesel generator to pump floodwater out of the basement, all of the employees had to be hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning, Chen said.

  That incident triggered another move to its current location, which had previously been the offices of Fengyuan Bus Transportation Co, she said.

  The couple wanted to use the move as an opportunity to rename the bookstore, but fearing their customers would not recognize it, they only changed the English name, but kept San Min Bookstore as the Chinese name, even though they were no longer on Sanmin Road.

  In the early days, Formosa Bookstore had books that could be found nowhere else, including those banned by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) or the Chinese Communist Party, and books written by Chinese authors in exile.

  There also used to be a section dedicated to Taiwanese books, but in recent years fewer books have been written by local authors or published.

  Many books published by local publishers, such as Avanguard, Tonsan Publications, and SMC Publishing, are now out of print.

  “Sometimes I feel quite disappointed when I walk around the new books section,” Chen said.

  The majority of the books in that section are now translated works, she said.

  Even though the area right inside the entrance is reserved for works by Taiwanese authors, it has become increasingly difficult to fill the section, Chen said.

  “Pure literature” is in decline, she said, adding that students hardly read literature anymore unless they are writing a book report for class.

  The second floor of the store used to be filled with literature because it is further away from the street and customers can read quietly, but sales of literary works have continued to drop, forcing her to move popular literature to the first floor, where the books can be seen by more customers, she said.

  Many traditional bookstores have closed in the past year, and many publishing companies have gone out of business, she said, adding that running a bookstore is very difficult.

  Rent and salaries are the biggest expenses, but the revenue is decreasing and every month is a struggle, she said, adding that she is she is growing more pessimistic.

  Eavy bookstore has its own way of surviving, she said. While smaller stores are more selective about the books they put on their shelves and recommend to readers, Formosa Bookstore’s advantage is that it has a wide selection and stocks up quickly, she said.

  Chen said she often worries about how many copies of a new book to order, and how much profit the store must make to stay open.

  “However, I have insisted on not selling coffee,” she said, adding that she is afraid of the smell and noise such a side venture could bring.

  Books are heavy and there is a lot that needs to be done, she said. “[Running a bookstore] is not romantic at all.”
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