During winter break, I visited a less well-known bookstore back home in Seoul and it quickly became one of my favorite spots in the city.
I liked the place because it was very different from other bookstores – it looked almost like an old but polished hotel in Europe. The staircases were decorated with wave-like ornaments, the ceilings were lit with chandeliers, and the whole building was pretty quiet with some slow and quiet instrumental music playing in the background.
This bookstore was divided into three parts. the first floor was dedicated to providing a quiet spot for people who wanted to borrow books and read on their own. Various types of comfy chairs were spread out throughout the floor, with book shelves dividing the space between them so you could read in peace privately. You could also choose from a number of tea options to sip on while doing some leisure reading.
The second floor was a regular book store where you could purchase books and get food or drinks from the cafe section. The third floor featured a rooftop with outdoor seatings as well as a magnificent view of the city. It was too cold to read outside this winter but I could imagine this place being a perfect getaway for people wanting to find an exciting new place to read.
I really liked the bookstore because the whole environment serves its purpose well: stocking the place with books, providing ample space with different types of comfortable chairs/tables, offering drinks/snacks and creating a relaxing atmosphere to make a relaxing experience for readers. It’s functional, its aesthetics are on point, and it fulfills (perhaps even surpasses) my expectations of what a bookstore should be like. I also like how it grants me a private and safe space while still being connected to the world – through books, view of the city on the rooftop, as well as with the other readers in the space.
