TAIPEI, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan's landmark bookstore chain Eslite will close its 24-hour Dunnan branch, one of its iconic flagship stores, on May 31 of 2020, as the lease is due for the building in which the store is located, according to a news briefing Thursday.
The Dunnan store, opened in 1989, has been providing 24-hour service since 1999. It is the only store of Eslite's 50 branches that offers such a service.
"Over the years, the Dunnan store has served as a warm place for many people to go during the night," said Chen Yi-fang, the store manager, who has worked for over a decade at the branch.
To mark its history, the store has prepared paper-cut rainbow-colored numbers showing the years from 1989 to 2020, which are draped above the stairways leading to the reading area.
"It's a pity that it will be closed soon," said a visitor to the store surnamed Lin, adding that the store has become a part of many people's lives in Taipei.
With the store's scheduled closure, Eslite plans to find another branch to continue the around-the-clock business, which is expected to be announced in April next year.
