KUALA LUMPUR- There are few moments in life more rewarding than finishing a good book and feeling like you’ve learnt something from it – at least that’s what a book lover would tell you.
For Rachel Ang, 47, her love affair with stories started young when she was given a ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarves’ audiobook, in the form of a cassette tape, no less.
“I remember listening to the story and songs on the tape all day, and I think that was the point when I fell in love with stories,” Ang said, adding that she soon began borrowing books from her school library, and pouring over the contents of children’s magazines.
With a background in accounting, Ang shared that this wasn’t her preferred career initially.
“I felt like I checked a box after I became a chartered accountant under the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, as that was what my family wanted for me, but I knew that wasn’t where my passion lies,” she said, adding that she quit soon after.
Suffering from depression eight years ago, Ang turned to reading once again. She said books offered her a sense of escapism during those two agonising years.
But since she wasn’t working, she found it tough to finance her reading habit. That was when she got the idea of trading in her second-hand books.
“I saw how much demand there was online, and I always had to fight with others to get the book I wanted, since there’s usually just the one on sale,” Ang said.
She realised this was a gap in the market that she could fill, and so in 2016, she founded Books n Bobs with just 50 books and a RM200 capital injection.
“We in the Klang Valley don’t realise how lucky we are to have so many bookstores here, unlike those in more rural areas of Malaysia,” she said, adding that Books n Bobs was a purely online business back then.
Being online meant that she could cater to readers from all corners of the country, particularly those with little or no access to physical bookshops.
When many were left at home with free time on their hands during the Covid-19 lockdowns, they turned to reading. And Ang’s online business boomed.
She began purchasing titles that were in demand, no longer only focussing on only those she had a preference for.
The mission of the shop, according to Ang, is to help avid readers find old books that they can’t find elsewhere, such as those that are out of print or certain special editions.
“Many customers find old books that they lost or remember from their childhood through us,” she told FMT.
After the pandemic, Ang opened a physical shop after encountering customers, once too often, showing up at her office wishing to buy books from her.
Now, she carries about 27,000 titles online and 2,000 titles in the GMBB shop, covering the genres of mystery, romance and science fiction. She also carries non-fiction books and magazines. You can also trade in or donate your old books.
Ang said a portion of their profits go to RUMAH K.I.D.S, a children’s shelter for abandoned and abused kids.
Her shop also provides a reason to scour for books, a joy she said only fellow book lovers would understand.
“My husband said to me ‘you started the shop as an excuse to keep buying books, didn’t you?’” she laughed, replying cheekily that it’s all for business.
Follow Books n Bobs on Instagram or head to their website for more information; visit RUMAH K.I.D.S official website here.
Books n Bobs
Unit 2-10 & 2-11, GMBB
No.2, Jalan Robertson
Bukit Bintang
50150 Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 11.00am-8.00pm daily
Contact: 018-2489909