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brought her children to the "main store". As she was preparing to pay for the books chosen by her children, she noticed that the cashier looked familiar and asked whether she worked at the “main store” 30 years ago. “I thought I have seen you many times before," she exclaimed. Putting down the QR code scanner in her hand, the cashier responded with a smile. This was Lee Kwee Kheng, who has been working in POP@ Central since the 1980s. When asked how she had instantly recognised Kwee Kheng, Ms Tan replied that apart from her greying hair, Kwee Kheng’s appearance has not changed much in the past 30 years. Furthermore, Kwee Kheng’s petite figure made her stand out from the rest of the staff at POP@Central. Since the store was relatively quiet then, the two of them began chatting about the "main store" of yesteryears. The focus quickly turned to Ms Tan’s children as Kwee Kheng was enthusiastically asking about their age, interests, and favourite books. “She chatted with my eldest son and asked him what books he had picked out.”This simple conversation demonstrated the kindliness of a generation. “30 years ago, I was just six years old like my eldest son,” Ms Tan said. “Now, I am taking them to the bookstores; I think this is also a kind of inheritance." Perhaps every encounter in life is meant to be. Ms Tan and her parents first met Kwee Kheng at POP@Central 30 years ago. Meeting there again three decades later, Ms Tan was there with her husband and two sons. The "main store" that is still there to welcome Ms Tan and her young family, has also bore witness to the changes in her in the past 30 years. Just like Ms Tan’s family, POPULAR Bookstore has accompanied many other families in Singapore through their growing-up years. Through the passage of time, POPULAR’s sincere service will continue to kindle the connections that will last forever in our customers' hearts. ( Translated by Shawn Pang) 一本好书若少了知音读者，纵使 内容再丰富也是付诸东流。而 一本能赋予读者重要时空记忆，并成为 一代代人共同回忆的书，堪称经典。大 众书局在新加坡屹立97年的故事，历久 弥新，亦如一本经典好书，仰赖民众的 多年支持。一路走来，大众书局的使命 始终如一，即是为大众服务。无论经历 多少风雨，大众书局的全体人员坚守本 职，持续为顾客提供优质的服务。 自2020年起蔓延世界的冠病疫情， 令许多零售商蒙受相当大的冲击，书业 也不例外。然而，让我们走下去的原动 力来自所有大众会员和顾客。他们的一 句感谢，一个微笑，或是一封真情流露 的信件，都能让大众书局的全体同仁感 深肺腑，尤其是日日在书店里与顾客接 触、为他们服务的前线销售人员。2021 年6月28日，《联合早报》言论版交流 站里刊登了来自陈慧怡女士题为<勿忘 书城>的文章。她讲述了自己和家人与 位于百胜楼的大众书局旗舰店的多年情 缘，字里行间流露对书店业的关爱之 情令人动容，也让大众全体同仁倍感 温馨。 “总行”处处皆回忆 这篇文章，为我们提供聆听顾客细说当 年的契机，也得以更深一层地认识陪伴 大众书局走过几十个年头的忠实顾客。 陈女士在文中提到书城时，写道这是她 自小就很喜欢的地方。那时，父母常带 她和妹妹到书城逛书局，父母也一直鼓 励她们看书、买书，以及收藏自己喜爱 的读物。30年前，一家人常到父母称之 为“总行”的大众书局旗舰店看书;而 30年后，她也和丈夫带着孩子到“总 All family photos courtesy of Ms Tan Hui Yi 感谢陈慧怡女士提供家庭照片 136 popularnews - 19