Lost Books Was Once an ATM Kiosk—Now It’s Where You'll Find Works by Cebuano Authors

(SPOT.ph) What was once a small adjoining space dedicated to a bank’s ATM machine is now a book shop where Cebuanos can find the works of homegrown authors—sometimes the authors even show up! Meet Cebu City’s charming less-than-two-year-old book shop Lost Books.

“We wanted a space that has a story,” says founder Donald Villamero. “We waited patiently until we found one.” The adjoining space used to be a working bank at the ground floor of the CAO Mercado Building on bustling Osmeña Boulevard—a stone’s throw away from historic Fuente Circle. But the pandemic forced the bank to close, which meant the ATM had to say goodbye too. “The owners of the building decided to wall up what used to be that ATM part of the bank,” shares Villamero, and the space turned out to be a good size for the jewel box of a store he had in mind.

Lost Books is a home for books written especially by Visayan authors—which are largely, and sadly, not always easily accessible to readers. “Books written by Cebuano authors are somehow ‘lost books’—in the general consciousness of the mass population—and need to be ‘found’ by creating an independent bookstore,” Villamero tells Spot.

“There was also no independent bookstore operating in Cebu back in 2024,” adds the 41-year-old proprietor, “so we needed to metaphorically ‘find’ the ‘lost bookshop.’”

But metaphors aside, the shop is indeed a treasure trove of Cebu’s literary gems. Selections range from Cebu: Memories of Home, a collection of essays by the late society columnist Jaime Picornell; to the horror novel The Dreaming at the Drowned Town by brothers Kevin and Kyle Ferraren; to The Feast of the Santo Niño written by National Artist for Literature Dr. Resil Mojares. Recently, the shop even hosted a reading of Cuentos Hispano Filipinos by Paulina Constancia as part of its Women’s Month celebration.

Asked how he built the idea for Lost Books, Villamero says, “There was no need to conceptualize it…The idea of an independent bookshop is not new; there are thousands of them all over the world, and quite a few in Manila and some provinces in the Philippines,” says Villarama. “What was needed was inspiration.” And his came from his visits to bookshops in London and Edinburgh.

Lost Books also carries books by non-Cebuano authors, of course, and makes space for iconic world masterpieces. Among Donald’s rare finds include an 11-volume set of the complete works of William Shakespeare from 1825 and a reprint of the facsimile of the original Noli Me Tángere. For fans of the fantasy genre, the shop boasts a limited number of newly acquired first-edition Harry Potter titles. Last January, noted historian Ambeth Ocampo was a guest in the shop and was signing copies of his bestselling Rizal Without the Overcoat.

Locals and tourists seem to be embracing Villarama’s little indie book shop. Upon entry, a tall shelf of books by local authors greets visitors. Across it is a showcase of various titles, a mix of secondhand and vintage copies, along with paintings by local artists and photographs gifted by patrons. Further inside, one can find a selection of poetry books, fiction, non-fiction, essay
collections, classics, YA titles, children’s literature, history titles, self-help books, vintage Rizaliana, first editions, and rare antiquarian books (including one published in 1808).

Beneath the shelves are tables attached to the walls for those who want to read in-shop or hang out. At the end of the hall is a café.

Last February, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival invited Villarama to discuss how Lost Books can further support local writers and open more opportunities to bring books closer to the community. The idea of installing mobile libraries was brought up, and creating digital libraries as well. “Books in digital format do not make physical books less important; they complement them,” offers Villamero. “Digital books make stories more affordable, accessible, and personalized to one’s learning capabilities.”

Whether physical or digital, Villamero couldn’t stress the importance of reading enough. “Nothing is more human than reading books. Books saved my childhood and made me believe that nothing is impossible as long as I put my heart into it." He says it’s also a contemplative exercise: “To go inside a book and feel someone’s humanness, and for a moment understand the world from someone else’s point of view—it’s like an out-of-body experience.”

Lost Books is located at the Ground Floor of CAO Mercado Building, Osmena Blvd., Capitol Site, Cebu City.