Bras Basah Complex is a mixed-use building on Bain Street in Bras Basah, Singapore that houses both residential and commercial units. From the 1980s to the early 2000s, it was known for its numerous bookstores, and had the Mandarin nickname “Book City” (Chinese: 书城; pinyin: Shū Chéng). It was also a popular venue amongst xinyao singers in the 1980s.
History
In October 1977, the Housing and Development Board announced that the complex would be completed for 13millionby1980aspartofthegovernment′splanto"revitalisethecentralarea".Thecomplexwastofeatureafour−storeyofficeandshoppingpodiumunderneathtwoblocksoftwenty−onestoreytallresidentialblockswhichwouldhave240unitsof4−roomflats.Inadditiontoshopsandoffices,thepodiumwouldalsohouseaneatinghouse,asupermarketandemporiumandahallforsocialfunctionsandrecreation,accompaniedwithacarpark.Thecomplex,whichopenedin1980,wasbilledbythe[[Housing]]andDevelopmentBoardasthefirst"bookcomplex"inSingapore.However,inNovember1980,FrancisChinoftheNewNationreportedthatoutofthe"hundred−odd"unitsonlyaround20wereoccupiedbybookstores,withonlyonebookstoreonthegroundfloor.Additionally,Chinalsowrotethat,apartfromthePopularBookstorewhichtookup"nearlyaquarteroftheshopspaceonthefirstandthirdfloors"andarentalshopforChinesebooks,thebookstoresatthecomplex"receiveonlytheoccasionalpasser−by."InDecember,YowPowAngofTheStraitsTimesreportedthattwobookstoresandarestauranthadcloseddowndueto"poorbusinessandhighrentals",andthat,outofthe40bookshops,onlyaround10soldbookswhiletherestsoldstationeryandcassettes.Yowfurtherreportedthatmanyofthebookshopsthatdidsellbooksweresmallandsoldthesamebooks,with"muchpriceundercutting."Accordingtoaspokespersonfromthe[[Housing]]andDevelopmentBoard,106ofthe132unitsatthecomplexwereallocatedforbookshops,withbookshopsbeingallowedtooccupyseveralunits.Bythen,29oftheseunitswerestillvacant.InJanuary1981,anadhoccommitteeofthebooksellersatthecomplexannouncedtheirintentiontoformamerchants′associationforthecomplex′sshopownersandmadeseveralproposalstoimprovebusinessatthecomplex,includingasuggestionthatanoverheadbridgeleadingtowardstheshoppingcentrebebuiltoverNorthBridgeRoadtoallowforsaferandeasieraccesstothecomplex.AcademicpublisherWorldScientific,whichhadbeenestablishedinthatyear,wasinitiallybasedwithinthecomplex.In1985,theBrasBasahShopowners′Association,whichbyMayofthatyearrepresented72shopowners,beganorganisingactivitiesinaneffortto"turntheplaceintoacentreofactivitiesforyoungsters."TheseactivitiesincludedperformancesbyTaiwanesesingersLinHuipingandXuWei,performancesbylocalxinyaosingers,drawingandcolouringcontests,xiangshenganddanceperformances.Bythen,businessatthecomplexhaddeclinedasaresultoftheclosureofthenearbyOdeonCinemainthepreviousyear.However,aproposalfortheinstallationofaroofovertheopenareawasrejected.Inthesameyear,10ofthebookshopownersappliedforpermissiontochangetrades.However,byJune1986,whentheyweregivenpermissiontodoso,nineoftheapplicantshadchangedtheirminds.In1989,afiberglassroofcosting80,000 was installed over the complex’s open area such that activities at the area would not be affected by inclement weather. According to Roots, which is published by the National Heritage Board, the complex came to be known as a “one-stop centre for educational books and art materials” and was also a popular venue amongst xinyao singers looking to promote their music in the 1980s.
In 2004, the tenants of the complex, which had been retiled and received a new coat of paint along with new lighting, decided to establish a management company by the following year to “oversee the branding, advertising and promotion of the place.” In 2005, the Bras Basah Merchants’ Association announced that it intended to “transform” the complex into a “centre for books and arts.” In an attempt to draw younger customers, works on the complex’s first major facelift, which was estimated to cost around $8 million, began in January 2013, with its first phase scheduled to be completed by early next year. A reunion concert featuring several pioneering xinyao singers, including Eric Moo and Dawn Gan, was held at the complex in 2014. In 2022, the Bras Basah Merchants’ Association began organising more events to attract more customers. In the same year, Knowledge Book Centre, which had opened at the complex in 1981, closed down due to declining business, while other tenants, such as the Popular Books flagship store, the music store and anchor tenant Swee Lee and crafts supply store Art Friend were reportedly doing well. By March 2023, 18 of the complex’s tenants were art galleries while another 10 were music schools and shops and a further 14 were printing shops. In December, Sophia Kuek of AsiaOne referred to the complex as a “go-to spot for all things prints and art.”