%0 Journal Article
%T The Bookstore
%A Haoying Han
%A Noman Sahito
%A Thuy Van Thi Nguyen
%A Tram Ngoc Lam
%J Space and Culture
%@ 1552-8308
%D 2019
%R 10.1177/1206331218795832
%X This article introduces the Chinese bookstore-caf¨¦, which indicates a change of lifestyle occurring in the contemporary big cities of China. Based on the concept of ¡°third place,¡± which was first introduced by sociologist Ray Oldenburg to indicate places that are neither home nor a workplace, we argue that the bookstore-caf¨¦ represents the emergence of a new lifestyle. Oldenburg¡¯s ¡°third place¡± concept is deployed as a framework to explore the role of the bookstore-caf¨¦ in Hangzhou, China, based on a study conducted at three popular bookstore-caf¨¦s in central Hangzhou, to clarify its involvement in urban life. As part of the study, we used the observational method to help determine consumers¡¯ visual behavior and an on-site survey questionnaire to collect data for measuring the qualities of the bookstore-caf¨¦. The research findings contribute profound insights into the bookstore-caf¨¦ in Chinese urban life and deepen our understanding of Oldenburg¡¯s ¡°third place¡± concept
%K Third place
%K bookstore-caf¨¦
%K consumer behavior
%K urban life
%K China
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1206331218795832