The new bookstore is the only one right now to carry only Singapore books
A book and a cup of coffee is one of the most wonderful pairings in life. Now, we have a place that serves the combo with a shot of #SingaporePride. Local book publisher Epigram Books have teamed up with local coffee chain Huggs Coffee to launch the Huggs-Epigram Coffee Bookshop, and it’s dedicated to Singapore books.
Books written by Singaporean authors make up the majority of the space on the towering shelf. There are also books by authors from around Southeast Asia and the world, but they are either published by a local publisher or written about Singapore. Other local publishers apart from Epigram, such as Math Paper Press, also have their books featured at the new coffee bookshop. You can find international bestsellers like Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan displayed on the shelf.
Located at the URA Centre, the coffee bookshop will have over 400 titles stocked at any one time. More than just a great quantity of books, there’s an extensive variety, too. We were captivated by the diversity on the 11metre-long, floor-to-ceiling shelf when we visited the coffee bookshop during its launch on 6 March.
Browse through the shelf, which arranges the books with their beautiful covers facing out, and you get a good look at the wide range of genres in Singapore literature. There’s everything from adult and young adult fiction, to poetry collections and middle grade books, to non-fiction and graphic novels. Discover some of the best of our local literature through the many award-winning titles available.
Book lovers will love just hanging around the Huggs-Epigram Coffee Bookshop – you might just meet the author of the book you just picked up! Like us, when we met journalist Kirsten Han and asked her to sign her essay book The Silhouette of Oppression, just recently published by Epigram Books as part of its Rational Conversations series of important speeches.
Through the Artist-in-Attendence program at the coffee bookshop, many local authors and artists will be making the space a second home as they work on their next project. Yes, you can have a chat with them about what they are working on, or get them to sign your book! This month of March, visitors can find Felix Cheong, Ng Yi-Sheng and Balli Kaur Jaswal hanging out at a table during opening hours.
Once you’ve picked up a book from the shelf, head over to the food counter to get a cuppa and a bite to eat, before settling down at one of the little tables and stools.
Huggs Coffee operates the cafe half of the Huggs-Epigram Coffee Bookshop. If you’ve enjoyed the specialty coffees brewed by the local coffee chain, you can certainly look forward to having them at the new coffee bookshop with your new read!
Like the books on offer, the food selection is wide and mixed with a local twist you can’t find at any ol’ coffee shop. There are the classic espresso-based brews of latte, cappuccino and mocha to satisfy your daily caffeine fix. We’d recommend you go for one of the more locally-inspired coffee blends to pair with your Singapore literature. Shake up your latte with the Latte Gula ($5), a double espresso with gula melaka. Or get even closer to home with a cup of Sumatra Kopi ($1.80 – $2.20).
These creative and quality brews are offered alongside some yummy treats. The sandwiches and cakes are perfect for teatime, and if you need something more substantial, rice and pasta dishes are also available.
45 Maxwell Road, #01-01, URA Centre, Singapore 069118
Opening hours: Coffee from 7am to 5pm, books from 10am to 7pm (Mondays to Fridays); Coffee from 8am to noon, books from 10am to 2pm (Saturdays). Closed on Sundays.
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