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Infinity Books On The Verge Of Closing, Is The Last Independent Secondhand English Bookstore In Tokyo

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Infinity Books closing down

As the pandemic continues, Japan has been enforcing repeated lockdown measures to help curb the spread of COVID-19. With people forced to self-isolate, many shops, including physical bookstores, are unable to cope with reduced foot traffic and have closed their chapters for good. Infinity Books, a bookstore in Tokyo, has called for help amidst the danger of closure.

Infinity Books on the brink of closure

Infinity Books closing down - twitter post
Image adapted from: @infinitybook 

Infinity Books, a secondhand English bookstore located in Asakusa, recently made a plea for help on Twitter. According to their post, the bookstore has seen a severe drop in sales from tourists and a decline in foot traffic due to the ongoing pandemic. They’ve also added that they aren’t able to hold as many events and workshops, which was their main source of revenue.   

The bookstore is appealing to customers for help to stave off its impending closure, urging netizens to retweet and spread the word. 

About Infinity Books

Infinity Books closing down - interior of infinity books
Image credit: @onesyred 

Established in 2001, Infinity Books has been providing book lovers with affordable secondhand English books for 2 decades. From pre-loved books to out-of-print editions, Infinity Books carries a huge inventory of books spanning many different genres. 

Infinity Books closing down - live performance
Image credit: @aokihiroshi 

Aside from being a treasure trove of books, the bookstore also holds regular events such as workshops, English lessons, and live performances. 

How you can help Infinity Books

Infinity Books closing down - interior of infinity books
Image credit: @danielhyde69 

To help prevent their closure, support Infinity Books by buying something from their online store. Infinity Books usually ships internationally, but due to COVID-19, delivery is currently limited to the US, Canada, and Australia. If you’re in Japan, do consider dropping by their brick-and-mortar store near Asakusa Station. 

Netizens also suggested ways for Infinity Books to raise funds, be it through personalised book subscription services or setting up a GoFundMe page. The bookstore responded by saying that they’ll keep the ideas in mind, so make sure to follow them on Twitter for future updates.  

Infinity Books on the verge of closing

It’s saddening to see a wave of physical bookstores worldwide forced to put up their shutters due to the pandemic, but we can still save Infinity Books from its impending closure. Even if you can’t support them financially, help spread the word by sharing this article and their Twitter post.   

Address: 1F Komagata Bashi Heights Bldg, 1-2-4 Azumabashi, Sumida-ku, 130-0001, Tokyo
Opening hours: Tue – Thur 1PM-9PM | Fri & Sat 1PM-10PM | Sun 1PM-6PM (Closed on Mondays)
Telephone: 8034-12-2564
Website

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Cover image adapted from: @danielhyde69Â