September 1, 2005
Shop Talk: Chaterhouse Booktrader at Times Square
Shanghai, by and large, is a city of hype. Shanghaiist has and will continue to contribute to it, propping up events, holding out hope for free beer, and generally trying to see the good in the sometimes random governmental edicts. But the weary wait for someone, anyone, to open a real western book store -- with books and maybe even magazines -- has taken its toll. But now, Chaterhouse Booktrader has us hooked. The location, under Times Square down on Huaihai Zhong Lu (in the basement) is OK. The prices, well, they're best described as "airport." But the selection? Oh, the selection. PC Gamer magazine sits next to Xbox Live next to Playstation Monthly. If that's not your thing, they have car, gun and fashion mags -- and books, too ... in previously non-existant (in Shanghai) categories like Science Fiction. Yes, it might all be a dream. Yes, they're from Hong Kong. Yes, go. Right now. Before someone wakes up and realizes what's going on here. Because if someone realizes that what people want is selection, whatever will the market do?
Chaterhouse Booktrader, Shop B1-E, Shanghai Times Square, 93 Huaihai Zhong Lu (上海市淮海中路９３号大上海时代广场B1-E店), Tel: 6391-8237.
Photo by Peijin Chen.
Shop Talk is a semi-regular feature on Shanghaiist that highlights noteworthy shops in Shanghai. Got a store you think deserves consideration? Email us at tips(@)shanghaiist.com.
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Some of the pricing wasn't too bad. I paid less than UK cover price for The Wisdom of Crowds (90RMB v. 6.99L). Definitely a welcome addition to the foreign language bookstore circuit.
Just dropped over 700 RMB there. The prices are more expensive than Garden Cafe/Foreign Language Book Store, but the selection of English Language fiction is much more extensive. They have these flyers right by the register that give you 10% off until Sept. 15.
The location is kind of small, but they fit a lot in. If you look at the titles displayed front cover out, you need to look behind. Other titles by that author are hidden behind. Careful of the bags, the bottom of mine dropped out on me in the middle of Huai Hai.