Wenhua Bookstore (文华书城Wénhuá Shūchéng) is offering huge discounts through March 21 to celebrate the 26-year history of its first outlet in Gongbei and mark its closing day. At the same time, a nearby location is being sought for its new home.

The bookstore occupies the B1 level at 1019 South Yingbin Road, a spot well-known to book lovers over the years. The first-floor tenant, CR Vanguard (华润万家Huárùn Wànjiā), has closed for the renovation of Guójì Dàshà (International Building) and other upgrades led by the local government.

Wenhua opened in Gongbei of Xiangzhou District in September 1993 as one of the earliest private bookstores in the country. Its convenient location appealed to local readers as well as to Macao customers. The store's history, embedded as it is in Gongbei's cultural development, is also being honored with other activities held inside the shop. 

Entrances to underground Wenhua Bookstore [Photo provided to cityofzhuhai.com]

Also available at Wenhua are films, videos, software, stationery, online purchases, and a courier service. Rental increases forced the bookstore to relocate twice but its popularity and the strong cultural connections with many local readers and others from Macao made it a hit and gave rise to nine other Wenhua branches in Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Qingyuan, and Zhaoqing of Guangdong, Wuhan of Hubei, and elsewhere, according to general manager Wu Weiliang.

All the books and employees will be relocated to other stores until a new location is found, Wu said.