TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE's Direct Operation in Songshan to Confront Eslite; Xinyi District Becomes a Bookstore Battleground
Japanese bookstore TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE is opening its first overseas direct-operated store in Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, intensifying competition with Eslite Bookstore. Xinyi District is becoming a fiercely competitive area for physical bookstores, with TSUTAYA planning to introduce a 'SHARE LOUNGE' to differentiate its offerings.
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- 📰 Published: May 5, 2026 at 19:59
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Taipei, May 5 (CNA) Japanese bookstore TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE is set to enter the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, not only as its first overseas direct-operated store but also poised for a direct confrontation with the nearby Eslite Spectrum Songyan Store. Last year, Books.com.tw opened its first physical bookstore in Xinyi District, and Uni-President Department Store also hosts Taiwan's first TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE. Industry insiders believe that Xinyi District, already having the highest concentration of department stores, will become a major battleground for bookstores.
The entry of TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE into Songshan Cultural and Creative Park sends shockwaves through Taiwan's cultural and retail markets. The official TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE Taiwan Facebook page posted recruitment information for its 'Songyan Store,' revealing its expansion plans and drawing significant attention.
The announcement indicates that TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE is a brand under the Culture Convenience Club (CCC) Group. The Songyan Store will be its first overseas direct-operated outlet, integrating TSUTAYA's business philosophy with local Taiwanese culture, introducing Japanese cultural industry context, and reinterpreting and extending it within Taiwan. It aims to be a platform for promoting cultural exchange between Taiwan and Japan, connecting creators and industry resources.
Eslite Songyan has been located in the Taipei Cultural and Creative Building within the park for many years, initiating 24-hour bookstore operations in 2024, contributing to high growth in foot traffic and bookstore performance. Now, TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE's selection of a site next to Warehouse No. 2 places it in close proximity to Eslite, setting the stage for a highly anticipated direct confrontation between the two major bookstore brands.
Notably, TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE already has 12 locations in Taiwan, with its first store at Uni-President Department Store, operating mostly through partnerships with local enterprises such as Deltamac, Ruentex, and JUTEC Group. However, the TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE Songyan Store will adopt a direct-operated model, making its operating strategy and business format a key focus for industry observation. According to recruitment information, the new store will introduce a 'SHARE LOUNGE' shared space, enhancing its mixed-use lifestyle business model.
Industry sources told CNA that, compared to the approximately 6,000 ping (about 19,800 square meters) scale of Eslite Songyan, the TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE space in Songyan might be more refined and not necessarily solely focused on book sales. However, the simultaneous entry of two major Taiwanese and Japanese iconic bookstores symbolizes the maturity and upgrade of the Songyan cultural and commercial district. It is certain that with the completion of the Taipei Dome driving foot traffic, the area consistently attracts literary enthusiasts and tourists, leading to continued growth in cultural consumption demand.
He further stated that the two major bookstores may not engage in fierce competition but are expected to jointly expand the market size and boost overall cultural business opportunities through differentiated positioning.
Eslite Songyan's 24-hour bookstore space is on the 3rd floor. After renovation, the bookstore area is 1.5 times larger, and the book volume has tripled. Eslite stated that by using the 24-hour bookstore as a traffic engine, it connects diverse content within the park to form a cultural consumption space that operates day and night, recreating the classic ambiance of its Dunnan store. Coupled with the Taipei Dome's commercial effect and increased park visitors, it further deepens the mixed model of 'cultural experience and lifestyle consumption.'
Another noteworthy bookstore in Xinyi District is Books.com.tw, which opened its first physical bookstore in Uni-President Group's DREAM PLAZA in July 2025, also operating 24 hours. It is the second 24-hour bookstore after Eslite.
Books.com.tw observed that the most popular times during weekdays for physical stores are 12 PM and 6 PM; office workers use their lunch break to select books or read briefly at noon; evenings see an influx of commuters, continuing until around 8 PM; on weekends, the most popular time is from 4 PM to 6 PM, primarily with families, where the children's books and graphic reading areas are most lively, and checkout counters are busiest.
Books.com.tw noted that nighttime customers have higher average spending because the 24-hour bookstore provides an 'undisturbed space and time,' allowing for more leisurely book selection and purchase. The period from 12 AM to 6 AM is the most popular for tourists. (Edited by Lin Shu-yuan) 1150505
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The entry of TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE into Songshan Cultural and Creative Park sends shockwaves through Taiwan's cultural and retail markets. The official TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE Taiwan Facebook page posted recruitment information for its 'Songyan Store,' revealing its expansion plans and drawing significant attention.
The announcement indicates that TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE is a brand under the Culture Convenience Club (CCC) Group. The Songyan Store will be its first overseas direct-operated outlet, integrating TSUTAYA's business philosophy with local Taiwanese culture, introducing Japanese cultural industry context, and reinterpreting and extending it within Taiwan. It aims to be a platform for promoting cultural exchange between Taiwan and Japan, connecting creators and industry resources.
Eslite Songyan has been located in the Taipei Cultural and Creative Building within the park for many years, initiating 24-hour bookstore operations in 2024, contributing to high growth in foot traffic and bookstore performance. Now, TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE's selection of a site next to Warehouse No. 2 places it in close proximity to Eslite, setting the stage for a highly anticipated direct confrontation between the two major bookstore brands.
Notably, TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE already has 12 locations in Taiwan, with its first store at Uni-President Department Store, operating mostly through partnerships with local enterprises such as Deltamac, Ruentex, and JUTEC Group. However, the TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE Songyan Store will adopt a direct-operated model, making its operating strategy and business format a key focus for industry observation. According to recruitment information, the new store will introduce a 'SHARE LOUNGE' shared space, enhancing its mixed-use lifestyle business model.
Industry sources told CNA that, compared to the approximately 6,000 ping (about 19,800 square meters) scale of Eslite Songyan, the TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE space in Songyan might be more refined and not necessarily solely focused on book sales. However, the simultaneous entry of two major Taiwanese and Japanese iconic bookstores symbolizes the maturity and upgrade of the Songyan cultural and commercial district. It is certain that with the completion of the Taipei Dome driving foot traffic, the area consistently attracts literary enthusiasts and tourists, leading to continued growth in cultural consumption demand.
He further stated that the two major bookstores may not engage in fierce competition but are expected to jointly expand the market size and boost overall cultural business opportunities through differentiated positioning.
Eslite Songyan's 24-hour bookstore space is on the 3rd floor. After renovation, the bookstore area is 1.5 times larger, and the book volume has tripled. Eslite stated that by using the 24-hour bookstore as a traffic engine, it connects diverse content within the park to form a cultural consumption space that operates day and night, recreating the classic ambiance of its Dunnan store. Coupled with the Taipei Dome's commercial effect and increased park visitors, it further deepens the mixed model of 'cultural experience and lifestyle consumption.'
Another noteworthy bookstore in Xinyi District is Books.com.tw, which opened its first physical bookstore in Uni-President Group's DREAM PLAZA in July 2025, also operating 24 hours. It is the second 24-hour bookstore after Eslite.
Books.com.tw observed that the most popular times during weekdays for physical stores are 12 PM and 6 PM; office workers use their lunch break to select books or read briefly at noon; evenings see an influx of commuters, continuing until around 8 PM; on weekends, the most popular time is from 4 PM to 6 PM, primarily with families, where the children's books and graphic reading areas are most lively, and checkout counters are busiest.
Books.com.tw noted that nighttime customers have higher average spending because the 24-hour bookstore provides an 'undisturbed space and time,' allowing for more leisurely book selection and purchase. The period from 12 AM to 6 AM is the most popular for tourists. (Edited by Lin Shu-yuan) 1150505
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force for protecting press freedom.
Download CNA 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.