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older-edition textbooks and teaching aids. On my desk sits a copy of Langenscheidt’s Concise German Dictionary, first published in 1959 and reprinted in 1973, purchased there for just eight dollars last week. The owner and I talked about the numerous treasures in his bookstore. I remember once inquiring about some reference books at the bookstore. I was swiftly brought to the relevant shelf and given excellent recommendations. Many students have also returned repeatedly to this bookstore, immersing themselves in a fathomless sea of knowledge. “Business has dwindled these days, and even if the rent didn’t go up, I didn’t intend to continue. I first closed the warehouse to save cost, so all the books had to be moved to the store. That’s why you see that it’s brimming with books,” he laughed and said, shattering the idealistic narrative I had created in my mind. I mustered up the courage to ask if after 20 years in the book industry, he has tried to run his business online.“That’stoodifficult.Youhavetolearn the technology, and online retail platforms aren’t cheap either. Plus, our turnover really isn’t high enough.” I wondered what would happen to the books. Unwilling to see them destroyed, he has been selling them at a deep discount, doing his best to send them into the hands of those destined to read them. He was more relaxed than I had expected throughout the chat. Winding down this decades-old business must come with an inevitable sadness. However, having spent half his life building up Knowledge Book Centre, he has certainly propelled it to remarkable heights. A Source of Knowledge When I visited, I noticed a Chinese customer browsing the bookshelves, eventually purchasing a large stack of books. The owner said this regular customer was not very good at communicating in English, but would purchase primarily English books about literature, history, and philosophy. Surprised, I immediately went to speak to him. He introduced himself as Wei Chu. He was in the food processing industry and had come all the way from Choa Chu Kang. In fact, he did not know that the bookstore was closing. “I just hope to buy and collect more books, so that bookstores like this can continue to provide us with good books.” A bookstore is like theatre, its books the actors, the storeowner the director. As Knowledge Book Centre exits the stage, it leaves behind a beautiful legacy—fond memories, patrons who have gained a spring of knowledge, and an owner who has earned the respect of many readers. Recalling the bookstores of his student days, Kenny Chan, currently consultant for Books Kinokuniya, said: “Knowledge Book Centre over the years has been a source of intellectual and educational sustenance to minds that could not afford regular-priced books for economic or other reasons. As these acolytes of Knowledge Book Centre grew in strength and stature, the value of this easier access to knowledge has been immeasurable and immense. Thank you, Knowledge Book Centre, for your contribution to the civil society that Singapore continues to aspire to, today and beyond.” (Translated by Daryl Li) Mohamed Ismail, the 69-year-old owner of Knowledge Book Centre 知识书店店主，69岁的穆罕默德·伊斯梅尔 周星衢基金的办公室身处新加坡市中心的百胜楼，这是 一栋被称为“书城”的旧式商住两用建筑，“百胜” 之名源于不可“输”(因有说法认为“书”与“输”同音， 华人觉得不吉祥，便取名“百胜”)。 书城在1980年兴建于当时桥北路林立的书店街原址，它 的诞生直接改变了新加坡书店业格局。有些书店留下了，从 临街的店屋迁入百胜楼，更上一层楼，例如被视为百胜楼标 志的大众书局旗舰店;有些书店出走他方;有些书店就此消 失。之后的半个世纪，时光到了百胜楼的时候总会放慢脚 步，周围栉比鳞次的高楼大厦，日新月异的变化似乎与它毫 不相干。 百胜楼有三家二手书店，各有特色。每次经过店面，他 们都是开门迎客的状态，所以我对于他们的存在也觉得理所 当然。但是当读者您们读到这篇文稿时，我们在三楼的老邻 居Knowledge Book Centre，已经不敌滑落的生意，于2022年 7月结业。不少行业和商家受到疫情的影响遗憾离场，但是笔 者对这家二手书店尤为不舍，因为它其实已融为百胜楼的一 部分。 曾藏书10万 宛如城堡 成立于1975年的 Knowledge Book Centre，华文店名直译为“知 识书店”，自1981年百胜楼兴建初期就在此开店营业。据现任 店主，69岁的穆罕默德·伊斯梅尔介绍，这家面积1200平方英 尺的二手书店，在20世纪末期的高峰期时，店内曾聘请10名店 员，每月营业额可达到四万新元，当时店内置放了约10万本二 141 popularnews - 13