Culture | Pin-to Livros returns 11 months after closure

Independent book and record store, Pin-to Livros 2.0, officially opened its doors to the public yesterday after 11 months of absence since its forcible closure.

Clean, elegant and quiet, the small store – located at No.47 Rua de Coelho do Amaral, near Kiang Wu hospital – has recaptured the atmosphere of its former incarnation.

Storeowner Anson Ng previously enjoyed a dual set-up, with sister shops Pin-to Livros and Pin-to Musica located one floor apart in the same building, close to Senado Square. His new store now bears the humorous but unofficial byline, “2.0”, and is based further afield in an area with lower foot traffic.

The shop, which is just four meters wide and houses both books and records, is considerably smaller than the dual set-up.

Ng was forced to close up shop in July after a new company acquired the lease to the building and notified the bookstore owner that his rental contract would be terminated.

Eleven months on, and the two former premises appear vacant and derelict. Ng said that, to the best of his knowledge, “the spaces are not being used for anything.”

This was corroborated by a visit to the building yesterday by the Times. On the door to the former bookshop were several Chinese New Year decorations and a note in Chinese informing that Pin-to Livros had closed and will be reopened in 2017. Other than that, there were no signs of activity.

A woman who works in a store in the same building told the Times that the premises are not currently occupied and that there are visitors in the building looking for the bookshop every week.

Meanwhile, back at the new store, Ng was pleased with the opening day turnout.

He estimated that around 100 people had visited Pin-to Livros 2.0 within two hours of its opening. The Times recorded around a dozen people in the shop at any one time during its visit, with several entering or exiting every few minutes.

Despite the limited space, Ng said that he wants to continue hosting concerts, even though they may only accommodate up to 30 people at a time.

The bookstore is located on the ground floor of its new building. The two floors above house a theater association’s office and a library of theater-related material.

Pin-to Livros is open daily from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.