MPH

Once upon a time MPH was a prestigious bookstore patronized by the learned and well healed. At least that was my impression half a century ago when I returned to Singapore at age 15 having lived in KL for a decade with my family. The well furnished store at Stamford Road which covered 3 floors had an aura of cultured elitism. It carried the widest range of English books, stationery, beautiful cards, gifts and even had a toy department selling more upmarket toys. Today MPH announced the closure of its last 2 outlets. Reading that news, memories of various stages of my life at MPH bookstores flooded back.

Back in the '70s to buy something from MPH was a luxury which our family indulged in only occasionally. I remember being tasked by my mother to look for the best toy replica of a machine gun for my younger brother and found the perfect one at MPH's toy department. It was definitely a few notches above other Chinese plastic guns. My mother also allowed us to buy the big glossy picture book which celebrated the 150th anniversary  of the founding of Singapore which I remembered was quite costly.  My younger brother's first Tin Tin comic came from  there. The first purchase from MPH using my own money was when I got a $10 MPH voucher for having my unpoetic but rhyming poem published in a shitty afternoon daily. This was followed by another delightful splurge when I received a valuable MPH voucher for being the best student in a bottom ranking neighbourhood school.

After graduation from university and as a single working adult with no dates, I used to while away time browsing through books at MPH, which by now have outlets at the shopping malls. The next phase in my life when I visited MPH quite frequently was when my children were toddlers. During lunch breaks I would visit MPH at Centre Point Mall to look for books to read to my kids as well as for educational toys. When my son was in primary school he would develop interest in certain subjects from time to time. By then shopping at MPH was no longer a luxury for us and I could afford to feed his curiosity. Once he was keen to possess a tall narrow book that features all the famous buildings in the world and the mother willingly bought for him, proud that the young child showed such interest in architecture. Gradually as our National Library expanded and carried a wide range of books it was less necessary to buy books off the shelves other than for Christmas presents.

Today's news about MPH closing its last 2 outlets (in the face of the Amazon onslaught and high rental) made me nostalgic. It seems to signal the passing of a phase that has to make way for another, both in the world at large and in my own life.