Bookseller Anthony Koh Waugh, however, rarely does what people expect of him.
It opened in Beach Road mall City Gate, near Golden Mile Complex and arthouse cinema The Projector, on Tuesday (Dec 15) and will run for three months until next February.
Mr Koh, 47, says he hopes Chio Books - its name is a pun on chio bu , Hokkien for pretty girl - will attract not just converted readers but also people who do not typically read books to begin with.
Chio Books, a dim space lit by the pulsing neon glow of LED furniture, has the vibe of a chill after-hours bar. Bubblegum pink and cool mint-toned posters of models holding books adorn the walls.