JAPAN BIZ: Bookstores offering gyms, cafes, lounges to attract customers

TOKYO - As more bookstores close amid stiff competition with online shops, their operators are striving to introduce new business models to entice customers to stay longer at their stores.

In spring 2025, MaruzenJunkudo Bookstores Co., a major Tokyo-based bookstore chain, opened a new store in the Toranomon business district. The store, called "magmabooks," provides unique bookmarks for customers to take around the entrance.