China’s bricks-and-mortar bookstores are increasingly counting on coffee, merchandise and cultural events rather than books to stay afloat – a survival strategy whose tensions were laid bare after a major chain asked a book buyer to vacate its cafe seating unless she bought a drink. The dispute at a Beijing branch of Sisyphe Bookstore, one of the country’s largest chains,...
What a Beijing cafe dispute reveals about China’s struggling bookshops
China’s bricks-and-mortar bookstores are increasingly counting on coffee, merchandise and cultural events rather than bo...
By Dhallo News · November 15, 2026 at 11:30 AM IST

Source: SCMP - World
Have feedback on this article?Report error or suggestion
