SINGAPORE – Those who have raised alarm at the empty shelves and cardboard boxes in Kinokiniya’s Bugis Junction store: fret not.

The bookstore is not closing, merely moving to another unit on the same floor. Preparation works will, however, mean a temporary closure from Sept 15 to October 2025.

In a reply to The Straits Times on Sept 9, Kinokuniya said the move was necessary due to mall owner CapitaLand’s reconfiguration plans.

ST understands the shift is unrelated to rent. Kinokuniya has occupied the 03-09 unit at Bugis Junction, with a size of about 3,400 sq m, since the mall opened in 1995.

The new unit will be “slightly smaller”, according to Kinokuniya, which did not reveal specifics of the shrinkage. It is still working on optimising the space so customers can browse comfortably. The updated design will emphasise openness.

Kinokuniya added: “We will also be refining our product mix to better align with our Bugis Junction customers, while keeping the hallmark Kinokuniya experience intact.”

In the bookstore chain’s new Raffles City store which opened in July, this tweaking has manifested in a greater focus on crowd-pleasing gewgaws like exclusive stationery and cuddly toys out front, in the hopes of attracting people into a reading alcove deeper in the store.