Shanghai's iconic Baixin Bookstore reopens with a new look

Baixin Bookstore, a time-honored bookstore established in 1912 in Shanghai, opened after refurbishment on Wednesday as it turns into an integrated cultural and lifestyle space.

With books as the base, the century-old bookstore integrated diverse businesses such as dining, cafe, exhibitions, shows, paper and record stores, expanding the role and possibilities of a bookstore.

"The bookstore is a physical space. We must take into account people's diversified demands for offline consumption today, such as a dining area for food and leisure, (cultural) salons for social networking, exhibitions and lectures for their spiritual needs … We are trying to attract more audiences with different divisions of space layout," said Chen Xinqiao, 34, general manager of Baixin Bookstore.