Since Sanlian Taofen Bookstore (STB) began 24 hour operations, the “night study” has attracted public attention. The 24 Hour Bookstore Innovation and Development Seminar was held in Beijing on July 29. Participants included leaders from the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television and China Publishing Group, as well as representatives from 11 24-hour bookstores. The 11 bookstores decided to form a 24-hour bookstore alliance to promote exchanges and strategic cooperation.

The Beijing STB, Hangzhou Reading Tree Coffee and 24 Hours Bookbar of Shenzhen Library, who initiated the seminar, shared their own experiences. Zhang Zuozhen, general manager of the STB, indicated that the bookstore achieved fruitful results within 110 days since expanding its opening hours on April 8. The daily retail sales reached 63,000 yuan (US$10，227) (20,000 yuan per night), 2.1 times that in 2013. The net profit of the first three months this year was 266,000 yuan while April’s net profit reached 411,000 yuan (US$66,720). The net profit of the first six months was 1.57 million, 3.78 times that of last whole year. He also said that the bookstore has been upgraded and started cooperative operations with the Sculpting in Time Café. Books occupy 95% of the merchandise in the store. Industry insiders believed that winter could be a challenge for book sales at a 24-hour bookstore in Beijing.

STB gained strong social response and high recognition from the government, which is a good example to bookstores around the country. Wang Zhongyi, general manager of the Zhejing Xinhua Bookstore Group said the Hangzhou Reading Tree Coffee has also attracted public attention since it opened two months ago. He also pointed out that the bookstore focused not on the sales but on the cultural vale.

Cooperative operation with catering enterprises is a common mode adopted by the 24-hour bookstores. Yin Changlong, general manager of the Shenzhen Publishing Group said that sales at the 24 Hours Bookbar of Shenzhen Library has turned around in last three years and he thinks the 24-hour bookstore needs to find a sustainable commercial operation mode based on the cultural value.

We recommend:

First late night bookstore opens in Beijing	Lose yourself in a bookstore	Beijing bookstore tries 24-hour biz