While studying overseas, 43-year-old Fong Min Hun was inspired by the independent bookstores he came across and began to dream of running one himself.
After years of entertaining the idea, he and his wife, Elaine Lau, took the leap in December 2017 and opened Lit Books, a cosy neighbourhood store in Tropicana Avenue, Petaling Jaya.
Unsurprisingly, many friends thought they were crazy: besides having zero experience in running a business, book retail is not generally seen as a lucrative venture.
Furthermore, statistics show that most Malaysians don’t read much, with a 2019 study by the International Islamic University and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia revealing that the typical Malaysian reads only two books a year.
On their decision, Lau, 40, told FMT: “We thought that if we didn’t start planning, we’d get too old, and eventually lose the courage to do it.”
She and Fong, who are both former journalists, said the reception has been great so far – especially since there are not many independent bookstores around, more so ones that sell the latest fiction and non-fiction titles.
In addition, the literary events they’ve hosted, including discussions with critically acclaimed authors such as Tash Aw and Tan Twan Eng, as well as monthly trivia nights and storytelling sessions have drawn in huge crowds of book lovers.
Lit Books has also hosted literary-themed jazz shows centred on the works of Haruki Murakami and William Shakespeare, presented by the likes of the WVC Malaysian Jazz Ensemble.
“We have a lot of room to cater for these events, and some of our shelves and cabinets are on wheels so they can be moved around,” Lau explained.
“Most retailers look at how much revenue a square foot of space can generate, so they get a heart attack when they walk into our store,” she added with a laugh.
At Lit Books, visitors can find a multitude of titles across a range of genres, from non- and literary fiction to crime, mystery, sci-fi and fantasy.
“Literary fiction gets sold the most, but that could also be because we stock a lot of it,” Fong chuckled.
Alas, everything came to a screeching halt when the pandemic struck in 2020, causing the couple to have to pivot and move their business entirely online.
“I managed to cobble together a virtual store and, after a week of frantic data entry of all the titles, it was up and running,” he recalled.
They even personally delivered books to customers who lived within a 10km radius when the postal system had to temporarily shut down.
Fortunately, all the time spent indoors during lockdown meant people wanted to use the opportunity to read more, and the demand for books increased.
“If it weren’t for the online store and customers who wanted to support local businesses, we wouldn’t be here today,” Fong acknowledged.
Costs and customer relations
On what it takes to open a bookstore, he believes it has entirely to do with having a zeal for the local and global publishing industry; for wanting to promote reading among people, and building a literary community among Malaysians… for BOOKS, emphatically.
It is a sentiment supported by Lau, who believes that to succeed in this field, one has to see books as more than just a mere commodity: “You need to have a real passion for it.”
Despite having run the business for five years now, there are still challenges to be overcome – a pertinent one being the rising cost of books. With prices starting upward of RM40 and running into three figures, Lau asserts they are not increasing prices “willy-nilly”.
“When publishers in the United Kingdom raise prices from £1 to £3, it’s the equivalent of an increase of RM5 to RM15,” she said, adding that a worldwide paper shortage has also contributed to the increase.
“We’re very nervous about this, but there’s really nothing we can do about it.”
The couple also admitted it took them a few years to get used to business fluctuations.
“We used to get really worried whenever we had a week of poor sales, but we’ve learnt to take things in our stride, trusting that things will pick back up,” Fong shared.
The greater priority for them is to build a relationship with their customers, learning more about their preferences and making it a point to always ask for feedback on the items purchased.
“If you’re looking for a specific book, we can order it for you; and if we think that the book is interesting enough, we’ll put it on our shelves,” he said. “That’s how we develop and learn as booksellers.”
Over the years, they’ve learnt to order books for specific customers, often without even needing to consult them beforehand.
“If I stumble upon a title a particular customer might like, I will order the book specifically for him or her, and 90% of the time, they’ll buy it. That comes from having more than a casual relationship with them,” Fong added.
Indeed, one of the highlights of running their own bookstore is the opportunity to get to know like-minded people who are just as “nerdy” about books as they are.
“It’s been a privilege and some of them have become friends,” Lau said, adding that they hope to welcome more people to their humble store now that Malaysia has moved into the endemic phase.
To that end, they are thankful to have been able to hold their first in-person event earlier this month, and are looking forward to hosting more soon.
In the meantime, if you’re looking to sink your teeth – as it were – into a good book, or are looking to kickstart a reading habit, why not drop by Lit Books one of these days? The affable couple are more than happy to help.
“Reading is pleasurable and entertaining, and there’s so much one can learn,” Lau concluded. “We love pointing you to books that will interest you.”
To get updates on the latest events and happenings at Lit Books, check out its website, as well as Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Lit Books
Unit P-1-11, Level 1, Tropicana Avenue
12, Jalan Persiaran Tropicana
47410 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Business hours: 1pm-7pm, Tuesdays to Saturdays