kala.court
2021-10-29
An adequately-stocked bookshop whose broad range of genres make up for its limited number of titles, conveniently located in Jingan Kerry Center (4th floor).
Past its striking wood-slat façade are bookshelf-lined walls and free-standing shelves along the central floor area. New book releases are displayed at the front of the shop. A large circular bookshelf displays a collection of CDs (mostly classical and opera) and an impressive array of manga tomes (mostly in Mandarin and Japanese). They have a section for up-to-date foreign and local magazines. Towards the back of the store is a wall dedicated to a limited selection of vinyls (again, classical and opera and a few pop titles thrown into the mix). A ramp leads up to a mezzanine space filled with children’s books.
Books here are mostly in English, save for the manga tomes and comic books. They’re stocked with literature classics, newer fiction releases, self-help books and non-fiction, young adult titles, hard-cover coffee table books (travel, art, architecture) and classic airport paperbacks (we can’t escape Dan Brown). The children’s book section is large enough for parents to bring their children over for a quick browse between mall shopping.
The overall layout and book arrangement is haphazard, especially for fiction. The lack of genre signage will have first-time visitors making a complete tour of the shop first to get their bearings. Apart from some two or three small benches between bookshelves, there is no seating area in the store. The ambiance is quiet during the weekdays, busier during lunchtime and evenings, busiest during the weekends.
For its small footprint they have something for everyone, but the selection will mostly please families with small children and young adults, as well as comic book enthusiasts. Also a good place to find DIY craft kits, puzzle boxes, activity books and cute collectibles for last-minute gift items. It’s a good address to have between Fuzhou Lu book hauls.
Keywords:
Great for Browsing, Gift Ideas, Convenient Location, Good English Book Selection, Expat Appeal,
Price Point:
Classic paperbacks from 40rmb, new fiction releases from 60 rmb, hardbound books as expensive as you can expect in Shanghai. Slightly higher prices from Fuzhou Lu which is understandable given its location.