Scripting a new chapter

Zhong Shu Ge in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, attracts readers with its collection and modern decor.[Photo by Meng Delong/China Daily]

From revamping their appearance to government support, bookshops owners are trying everything to survive. Mei Jia reports.

San Shi, whose real name is Zhang Lei, has finally found his calling－upgrading the country's struggling bookstores. He has worked miracles with the bookstores he has taken up－to the extent of making them tourist attractions.

San Shi, who has worked in publishing, in the media and as a pop music critic, is now officially recognized as an "expert on reviving bookstores".

Since 2014, he has transformed six bookstores.

Among his successes is Gogol Bookstore in Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province, which he transformed into a European-styled outlet after studying the city's culture and history.

He also changed Xinhua Bookstore, a State-run chain store in Jinggangshan, in Jiangxi province, into a Red Bookstore, focusing on revolution-themed books, as the city is known for its revolutionary history.

"All the six stores are making a profit," San Shi tells China Daily.

"Seeing readers enjoying themselves at the bookstores I feel satisfied."

"My secret is that bookstores should not be confined to selling books.