National Bookstore Opens in GenSan!

THE COUNTRY’s top bookstore opens a branch in General Santos City at the Ground Floor of Gaisano Mall.

I explored the newly opened store last Friday and was amazed by the great number of people—both young and old—examining the contents of each shelf and bothering the store attendants whether they have copies of this or that. I never expected that people are so interested in books. I have been to National Bookstores in Davao, Cebu, Dumaguete, and even in Manila, but I have not seen as much people scanning pages, picking books, lining up at the counter as I have seen last Friday.

Maybe it’s because the store has just opened. I dunno. We’ll see. But I expect that as the news spread out to more and more people, the owners of National Bookstore here in Gensan might consider expanding soon.
The Gensan branch is not very big. It has a mezzanine floor that makes the total floor area quite bigger than the one at SM City Davao. During my visit I haven’t seen new books of interest. I was looking for the section featuring the new bestsellers but I found none. I wonder why. What welcomed me instead are school supplies for sale. Well, it’s “Back to School” season. But they should put up a section for current books that make the sale in the world or in the country. I might get interested to buy them when they are displayed there, not hidden in the shelves and obscured by other books.

The store attendants, too, and the cashiers had to be trained well. They are obviously new to their jobs and they rattle at the sight of long queues of people. I would be happy to buy books in a store where the attendants are confident and very accommodating.

I bought some stuff that I might need as the school year opens. I bought clear books for my activity sheets and lecture guides, a small whiteboard for my reminders, a pad of sticky notes, index cards, and others. I also bought Reaching Your Potential by Norman Vincent Peale and a book on Ear Singing for my vocal training.
I am glad that there is a National Bookstore here in GenSan. I’ll be visiting the store one of these days.

I have heard from my co-teacher that there used to be a National Bookstore in GenSan before I was born. She said that it was burned down and was never rebuilt again. I’ll research on that.

ye for now. I’ll be posting my book reviews soon as I have the time.

Have a great day!