War of words as bookstores face off in Causeway Bay

Book lovers will rejoice as two bookstore chains, Commercial Press and newcomer Eslite, lock horns in Causeway Bay.

Taiwanese heavyweight Eslite will open its first store in Hong Kong at Hysan Place, a new development on Hennessy Road opposite the Sogo department store, in mid-August.

Covering 41,000 square feet, the mega outlet - which occupies three floors of its mall - will be the biggest bookstore in town. The chain plans to open five more branches in the city over the next five years.

In the face of this competition, publisher-retailer Commercial Press announced yesterday it would open its renovated store in Yee Wo Street, just down the road from Hysan Place, on August 3.

Covering 10,000 square feet, the four-storey store will carry more titles than before, especially English-language books, the chain's assistant general manager, Anita Wan, said. 'The old store dedicated half a floor to English books. In the new one they will occupy the whole ground floor.'

The catalogue of Chinese books would increase by one-third and the store would be better organised, she said. 'Children's books will be on the third floor, so adults will be able to read in a quieter environment on other floors,' Wan said.

This arrangement was made possible when Commercial Press earlier this year switched sales of textbooks and reference books to another branch in Causeway Bay devoted to educational materials.