Books and passion

(Baonghean) - I initially visited Thien Minh Bookstore out of curiosity, drawn in by a recommendation about a bookstore with many good books and free reading spaces. But then, I was immediately captivated by the reading atmosphere and the books themselves. I also had the opportunity to share my passion for books and my dedication to bringing books back to my hometown with the young owner, Tran Minh Ngoc.

A fresh new book space

Thien Minh Bookstore at 119 Nguyen Phong Sac Street, Vinh City, is owned by a relatively young woman, Tran Minh Ngoc, born in 1985. She graduated from the University of Foreign Trade in 2008, returned to her hometown to live and work, and opened this bookstore less than a month ago.

The bookstore is a small but warm space, stocked with a wide variety of books: children's books, literature, medicine, business, life skills, and more. Although the selection isn't large, the books are carefully chosen, high-quality, and beautifully printed. Owner Tran Minh Ngoc's motto is "say no" to counterfeit, pirated, and low-quality books.

The bookstore's name is Thiên Minh, the firstborn son of Ms. Ngọc and her husband, meaning "bright sky," and also signifying a desire for clear and insightful wisdom. Interestingly, the owner is very creative in not using titles for literature, economics, or children's books like other places, but instead choosing names like "Hope," "Belief," "Growth," and "Peace" for her bookshelves. I wondered about the "T" before the names of the bookshelves, and Ms. Ngọc explained: Firstly, it's an abbreviation of "Thiên Minh bookstore"; secondly, the "T" is also an abbreviation of "I." She hopes that readers and buyers will feel and absorb the values ​​she has given the bookshelves. For example, for children's books, she named them T - Hope, meaning "I hope," children are hope, the future of the country; for women's books like cooking and beauty, she named them T - Love; and for life skills books, she named them T - Growth.

A corner of the Thien Minh bookstore.

Ms. Hoang Thi Binh (born in 1986), a customer, said: “This is the first time I’ve found a truly suitable bookstore in Vinh City. I discovered Thien Minh Bookstore by chance and immediately fell in love with it. They have so many great books, a very comfortable space, soft chairs, and the owners are very enthusiastic.”

Many people initially felt a little embarrassed coming to buy books because there was free seating and full access to electricity and water, but they gradually got used to it, enjoyed it, and recommended it to others.

"I'm an avid reader, I've used to hunt for books to read, and I understand the psychology of wanting to read and see the content of each book before buying it. Therefore, although the space here isn't very big, I still dedicate areas for tables and chairs to accommodate readers. Whether you buy something or not, you can still sit and read comfortably, for free, for as long as you like," shared Ms. Tran Minh Ngoc.

Currently, the young shop owner is also implementing a system of providing library cards for customers to borrow books, recording requests for books to be retrieved for customers, and running customer appreciation programs, such as book discounts on Vietnamese Entrepreneurs' Day and Vietnamese Women's Day.

Invest in… your passion.

Ms. Ngoc's idea of ​​opening a bookstore originated during her student years, when she and her husband were dating. However, she only managed to realize it now. The total investment to date is approximately 400 million VND, used for purchasing books and bookshelves. Other items such as the TV, tables, chairs, computer, and fans were brought from home.

Mr. Hoang, Ms. Ngoc's husband, shared: "For many people, that money could be used to buy a car or travel… but I took a break to invest in books. I simply thought that in the past I didn't have the means or time to read, which was a disadvantage and a shortcoming. Therefore, opening this bookstore is primarily a gift for my son, wanting him to have a space to accumulate knowledge and live in a cultured and intellectual environment from a young age."

Furthermore, the couple wanted to open a truly meaningful bookstore, creating a reliable and reputable address for customers: bringing books and reading culture back to their hometown. “Because if we were just doing business, selling books at this time would definitely result in losses. When we first opened Thien Minh, many people were surprised: ‘Oh, the new school year is coming, and you’re opening a bookstore just before the end of the book selling season? Who will you sell to?’ Actually, they didn’t understand, we don’t sell textbooks, we sell reading books,” Ms. Ngoc recounted.

She expressed her concern: In her hometown, parents only focus on academic books: textbooks, reference books… but haven't paid much attention to books for their children to read aloud. Many bookstores in Vinh City invest in academic books, but books in other fields are less common, lacking a systematic approach, and new books are slow to be available.

Thien Minh's approach is to sell only genuine books, without accompanying stationery or other general merchandise. The bookstore also prioritizes avoiding trends and market-driven products that are easily read but easily forgotten. The goal of Mr. Hoang and Ms. Ngoc is to transform this place into a center for reviving reading culture for the people of their hometown, featuring classic and specialized authors and works, and a place for exchanging materials that will benefit students.

The plans for Thien Minh bookstore are still numerous: expanding the space, creating separate rooms for audio and video listening, and small houses dedicated to each book genre; sourcing books from reputable sources, even contacting and ordering books from abroad: Thailand, the UK, the US… “However, for now, we will try to select books to bring in, ordering from reputable publishers such as Nha Nam Publishing House, Literature Publishing House, Alpha Books… and ordering books according to customer requests. “The important thing is that we do it with heart and honesty to serve everyone,” Mr. Hoang and Ms. Ngoc promised.

I believe, and I also look forward to, that your concerns and plans will come to fruition, because they are valuable and worthy investments.

Ho Lai (Contributor)