The Eslite bookstore chain aims tomake its Suzhou branch a cultural landmark. HE JUNCHANG/XINHUA

'More than just a bookstore'

At a time when many mainland bookstores are struggling to survive the double whammy of the decline of the traditional publishing industry and the rise of Internet retailing, Taiwan's Eslite Bookstores offer an example of how to thrive in the digital era.

"Eslite is far more than just a bookstore," Colin Lang, Eslite's director of operations for the Chinese mainland, said. "In our first mainland branch in Suzhou, we will combine books with traditional local art and crafts, including porcelain and paper-cut art, to create a cultural atmosphere, a lifestyle."

According to Eslite's data, books account for about 60 percent of its sales, while the remainder comes from food, kitchenware, music, wine and toys, which are sold in "interstore" shops.

Eslite stores are also open 24 hours, a move copied last year by the Sanlian Taofen Bookstore, a cultural landmark in central Beijing. Fan Xi'an, Sanlian Taofen's general manager, has admitted that the change was inspired by Eslite.

Books will remain Eslite's core activity, Lang said. "Books will always be the soul of a bookstore. We have a professional team of book selectors, and we are looking for original works with unique angles, artistic narratives and designs. In the digital era, books can't just be words printed on paper; the book itself should be a piece of art that is worth buying and collecting," he said.