Ong Chin Huat reports on the announcement of Eslite Spectrum, aka ‘the world’s coolest bookstore’ who’ll be opening their first-ever lifestyle store in Southeast Asia at The Starhill Kuala Lumpur.

Located in a prime spot in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s main shopping and hotel drag, The Starhill has earned a place in the hearts of lovers of luxury for its stellar brand’s top-notch labels. It closed its doors last year for a significant renovation with a planned reopening in the first quarter of 2021 with four floors of premium retail space which will offer an entirely new experience for shoppers.

To add more oomph to its line-up of impressive luxury tenants such as Balmain, Patek Philippe, Philipp Plein, Tom Ford, Paul & Shark and Stefano Ricci. The Starhill recently announced that the anchor tenant of this prestigious mall would be none other than Eslite Spectrum, a name to be reckoned with for bibliophiles and scholars alike.

Known in Taiwan for starting the world’s first-ever 24-hour bookstore, Eslite Spectrum at The Starhill is the first Eslite branch in Southeast Asia and will occupy over 70,000 square feet on Level 1 at Starhill.

Eslite Spectrum is more than just a bookstore; it will also be a lifestyle and cultural destination. The store won’t just be selling English, Chinese and Malay books; it will also sell music, design and handmade goods. In addition to this, there will be spaces for performing arts, themed restaurants and coffee shops alongside lifestyle brands and local products from both Malaysia and Taiwan, bridging the cross-cultural and creative exchanges between the two countries.

Having been named by Time Magazine as “Asia’s Best Bookstore and by CNN as “World’s Coolest Bookstore” and the “14 coolest Department stores in the world,” the Eslite Spectrum is have become a cultural icon in its home turf of Taiwan and its flagship store in the Xinyi district in Taipei is a must-visit for tourists and out-of-towners who wish to experience this unique retail concept.

According to Joseph Yeoh, Vice President of YTL Land & Development who signed the tenancy agreement with the Eslite Group, this venture is a match made-in-heaven for The Starhill as its ties in perfectly with their plan to create Kuala Lumpur’s ultimate premium social destination which celebrates literature, the arts, fashion, design, music, food and creative events.

“We cannot be more excited to witness Eslite Spectrum’s opening which will truly complement the distinctive experience of The Starhill that focuses on exclusive brands in Kuala Lumpur,” says Yeoh.

“This is a deeply meaningful partnership between two family businesses with a rich heritage and passion education and knowledge as drivers of change…I believe this partnership can potentially be a catalyst for a deeper cultural exchange between Malaysia and Taiwan through retail experiences and a community-orientated store that reach a wider audience across all ages and demographics.”

For further information on The Starhill, please visit www.thestarhill.com.my.

Read more luxury lifestyle news in our dedicated section here.