Thursday, July 15, 2010

Ye Olde Bookshoppe in Mandaue

I used to pass by this quaint little bookstore in the middle of nowhere and I finally decided to give it a visit.

From the door I could smell the glorious scent of old pressed paper and the wonderful sight of floor to ceiling bookshelves. There were poetry, which I assume are of the owners, tacked in the sides of the shelves along with pictures and other memorabilia of the owner’s that add a homey feel to the place.

There is something about small independent bookstores that I really like. The store has character and I admire how it still survives amidst giants like Power Books and Fully-Booked.

The name La Belle Aurore was borrowed from a coffee shops name in the classic movie “Casablanca” and literally translates in French as ”Beautiful Daybreak”. The owner thought it was perfect to name a business that he loves.

I didn’t think there was a place in Cebu where you can find used rare books at good prices, I found a copy of Jean-Paul Sartre’s The Reprieve for Php275 and Henry David Thoreau’s Walden & Civil Disobedience for only php150.


La Belle Aurore Bookstore is located at Hernan Cortes in Mandaue City, just a 5 minute walk from the famous Lartian's in AS Fortuna.

Business hours are from 12nn-9pm (Mondays thru Fridays) and 9am-9pm (Saturdays & Sundays)

You can visit their website: http://labelleaurore.multiply.com
or add them on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/labelleaurorebooks

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