ICYDK: Fully Booked x Kinokuniya Is Now in SM North Edsa

(SPOT.ph) Ready your wallets, bookworms: Fully Booked x Kinokuniya just opened its first branch in the North, and it's at SM North Edsa's The Block. 

Touted as the brand's 42nd store nationwide, this new branch of Fully Booked not only carries the usual selection of English-language fiction and non-fiction reads but also a vast selection of Japanese manga, literature, and art books—thanks to its partnership with Japan's largest book chain Kinokuniya.

A visit here is bound to excite any bookworm, whether you're adding new Japanese books to your collection or are "just looking" at new titles. Check out why this Fully Booked branch should be on your go-to list for all your reading needs. 

Also read: 
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Check out Fully Booked x Kinokuniya SM North Edsa:

Fully Booked x Kinokuniya opened just in time for the holidays at SM North Edsa The Block's fifth floor, and we're not kidding when we say it's every bookworm's paradise—and their wallet's end. 

Upon entering, you'll immediately be greeted by a vast selection of Japanese reads. English-translated manga titles, Nihonggo learning materials, crowd-favorite fiction reads from Japanese authors, and actual Japanese edition manga titles are aplenty.

This, of course, is in partnership with Kinokuniya, one of Japan's largest retail chains specifically for books. It has over 40 stores internationally and is actually one of Fully Booked's Managing Director Jaime Daez's favorite destinations whenever he goes abroad. 

"I've always been the biggest fan of Kinokuniya ever since I got into the book business almost 30 years ago. And I used to frequent Singapore [and] whenever I see their Singapore store in Takashimaya, I always felt like that was the best bookstore on the planet," says Daez in an interview with SPOT.ph. "So, to be able to collaborate with them and to become partners with them is really kind of a dream come true for me. As I've said in the past, teaming up with them is like teaming up with Michael Jordan. It doesn't get any better than that."

Unbeknownst to many, Fully Booked has been working with Kinokuniya long before their first official collaboration branch in MITSUKOSHI BGC opened in 2022. In fact, the brands have been working together since 2019, with Fully Booked's main store along BGC High Street carrying most of the Japanese titles.

Fast forward to today, readers looking for niche Japanese titles and works by crowd-favorite Japanese writers and artists like Junji Ito, Hayao Miyazaki, Sayaka Murata, Haruki Murakami, and Banana Yoshimoto can visit either MITSUKOSHI BGC, SM Mall of Asia, or SM North Edsa and they'll most likely find what they're looking for there. 

But wait a minute, isn't there a Fully Booked in SM North Edsa long before this branch? The answer is yes. Technically, if you visit SM North Edsa this December, you'll find two Fully Booked branches in the mall. Both are located at the Block, but only one has an extensive line of Japanese reads. 

"SM North EDSA has always been known as one of the top three malls of SM, together with Mall of Asia. So, it was a no-brainer for us that if we were going to open in the North, that SM North EDSA would be the store that we would pick," says Daez.

The new Fully Booked x Kinokuniya is one of the first new stores on The Block's renovated fifth floor. From a space primarily dedicated to beauty and health services, the mall is currently revamping the space into an entertainment and leisure zone. Case in point: the only other new shop open is a massive Timezone right across Fully Booked. 

When asked about their plans for the future, Daez paused for a while, not wanting to spoil the surprise. "We're opening two new Kinokuniya branches before June 2025. But I would like to keep the locations secret for now."

What are some must-buy finds in Fully Booked x Kinokuniya SM North Edsa

It took every bit of self-control from this writer not to fill a cart with new books during our visit to the new branch. Here are some of the selections from Fully Booked x Kinokuniya that we're definitely coming back for:

Aside from reads, there's also a wide range of mystery blind boxes for sale at Fully Booked x Kinokuniya SM North Edsa. 

The branch also sells other bookish finds, such as tote bags, journals, bookmarks, postcards, and other knickknacks. 

Also read:
SNEAK PEEK: Fully Booked Brings Japanese Bookstore Kinokuniya to BGC
ICYDK: Fully Booked x Kinokuniya Just Opened Their Second Metro Manila Branch

Fully Booked x Kinokuniya SM North Edsa is at 5/F SM North Edsa The Block, Quezon City. For more information, visit Fully Booked's Facebook page.

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