For bookworms, nothing quite beats the feeling of pacing around a bookstore and leisurely browsing through shelves of new books – a rare luxury these days, with so many of our favourite childhood stores having shut down. However, The Zall Bookstore at Wheelock Place may just be the newest haunt for those wanting to spend their hours tucked away with a book.
With 2 storeys of over 30,000 reads, this bookstore is a zen hideout away from the bustle of Orchard. It’s also got everything needed to keep you occupied, including an in-house cafe and hidden art gallery.
More things to do in Orchard:
Image credit: @ly_0_0
Founded by Chinese poet Yan Zhi, who has 18 published books, the bookstore is the Zall franchise’s first overseas outlet.
It mainly comprises Chinese-language titles, but does have a decent selection of English books as well. Its extensive range of genres include literature, history, humanities and philosophy.
Image credit: 卓爾书店 the zall bookstore
Step into the bookstore and you’ll find yourself in an Instagram paradise, with a minimalistic interior, wooden spiral staircase and seemingly endless display of shelves.
Image credit: @debzlin
With a calligraphy-inspired black and white colour palette, the store’s design also takes after famed Chinese painter Wu Guanzhong’s works. For instance, the arches around the store resemble the river bridges in his piece Water Village in Jiangnan.
Images adapted from: Ink Wash Painting Blog, @sandy__nelly__
Image credit: @vicffie
One of the best things about The Zall Bookstore is that it’s built with ample space for patrons to rest and read. It’s somewhat reminiscent of a library, where you’ll be able to curl up in little reading nooks and cosy up with a book.
There’s even a wide wooden staircase for readers to sit around. Meanwhile, if you want to pause for a tea time cuppa, the store’s cafe is great for lounging around or catching up on work.
Image credit: @d_0bliqiuez
The cafe sells various pastries and drinks, ranging from Black Coffee ($4.60) to Matcha Latte ($7). Snacks include small treats like Brownies ($4.50) and slightly heavier bites like Chicken Mushroom Pie ($6.90). Desserts to finish off your meal include Ondeh Ondeh Cake ($7.50) and a selection of cute fruit-shaped Mochi ($1.90).
Image credit: @blackivory
For a break between book browsing, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find an art gallery hidden behind a bookshelf that doubles as a revolving door. The gallery showcases different works from local and international artists every month, so be sure to check in monthly for new exhibitions.
Image credit: @joling629
Image credit: @madeline_xiong
With a book selection ranging from children’s storybooks and comics to adult Chinese literature, The Zall Bookstore has something to keep every age group occupied for hours on end. In fact, it’s said that the store will revise their opening hours to 24/7 once Covid restrictions allow, so you can drop by anytime you’d like.
Address: 501 Orchard Road, #01-02/ #02-18, Wheelock Place, Singapore 238880
Opening hours: 11am-9.30pm, Daily
Telephone: 6232 7549
The Zall Bookstore on Facebook
Books for book lovers to check out:
Cover image adapted from: @ly_0_0, 卓爾书店 the zall bookstore, @blackivory
Prices start from $10.
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