Moms and Dads

Blessings Born From a Small Bookshop

by Kevyn Gohu
May 15, 2023

Once upon a time, there was a mother who founded a bookshop that sold books by the kilo.

“Once upon a time” — the starting line of almost every fairy tale or book that parents have read to their children. For that line whisks away the kids’ imaginations to a magical world of dreams, encourages their love for books, and makes bedtime a peaceful one. It is also the line read often by Bookchigo bookshop’s founder, owner, and millennial mom of two, Kath Alonzo. For each night, her toddler insists that she reads him not just one but five or more stories before falling asleep. “Kami na po yung nagsasabi ng ‘enough na, it’s time to sleep.’,” she admits with a laugh. “But it’s no big deal naman; it also serves as our bonding time as a family.”

Besides being able to put her toddler to sleep without a fuss, this young mother is no stranger to the magic and blessings that books — both pre-loved and new — give. Especially when her family fell on hard times.

What makes this bookshop different?

A typical bookshop is one that invites to choose a story on the shelf from a genre of their choice. Similar to one that Kath manages but, hers comes with a new and inviting caveat: readers are to buy by the kilo! “It sounds really inviting for anyone who would want to explore some good finds at the same time at a good deal,” she shares while adding more books to the shelves. “We encourage people to buy books without breaking their banks but, we also wanted them to experience the fun and adventure in book hunting.”

Her inspiration for that thrill of adventure stems from her days as a former medical school student. For the streets of FEU Manila were also lined with second-hand booksellers — a welcome reprieve for any student who is well aware of how much a brand-new book costs. It was also a hobby that excited her; the intoxicating smell and sight of books gave her the thrill of again expanding her collection of reading material. Yet, it was an adventure not easily committed to, for she considered herself a “late bloomer” when she shared her tale of where her love for books started.

“I was kind of a late bloomer in reading kasi I didn’t grow up in a household that reads books,” she smiles albeit a bit of a blue one. “At first, it was really a challenge for me to even open a book and get through it. But then, I pushed myself to commit to the habit of reading for the sake of the benefits it provides like increased knowledge and vocabulary, and it provided that much-needed escape when I felt sad.”

Books always offer an escape from life’s many difficulties, including one that no new parent should ever have to face.

How she used books to build a business

The first time books provided her that escape was when she, as a new young mother, faced every parent’s worst nightmare: she had no savings or a bank account! Despite the rarity of people reading books and comments of, “Walang market dyan. It won’t sustain your living or daily expenses at all,” she had to try. With a few books that she discovered lying around in her mom’s surplus shop business, she marketed them online. Juggling exclusively breastfeeding and ransacking for books to sell at the same time, it was the goal that kept her going: “Para sa anak ko naman ‘to.”

“I already started it so let’s see where it goes. I should be willing to take risks if this becomes successful. It can become a source of income,” she recalls the day she began her business. “Besides, I also like what I’m doing and it doesn’t feel like work naman. It perfectly combines my love for books with the desire to provide for my family and build a fulfilling career.”

But it was a goal she could not accomplish alone, she admits. She finds support from her household help who she says plays a vital role in making sure the booming bookshop is running properly. “A real big help for me kasi without her, I couldn’t manage the business talaga. Like may mga na reject din po akong interviews last week because of this. I’m grateful and blessed to have her and would say that she’s also behind the reason for my success.”

And once the Bookchigo bookshop had fulfilled its purpose in helping Kath provide for her family, she now moved to another one: passing on the love and appreciation she had for books to her children.

How can parents encourage their kids to read?

As a modern parent, she faces the same conundrum that most parents of today do: how can parents encourage their kids to read more books? With kids’ eyes constantly glued to the screen, it’s a rarity to find one that prefers the company of books over the little magical window of light. But being a model, she advises, is one way to start them early. “Show them you enjoy reading too because kids often model their behavior after us,” Kath explains.

While sharing her advice with us, Kath observes her children who also rummage through the books in the bookshop. “That’s another thing,” she realizes. “Let your kids choose the books. We do that so he doesn’t feel like he’s being forced to read and if they want more, we buy them more books to show how much we value their passion for reading.”

But books can also overwhelm the kids when they read material that’s too much for them to process. Although parents want their kids to always be ahead of their peers, it does not always achieve the desired effect when they’re pressuring themselves to learn the big words. “Always choose age-appropriate ones,” she advises. “And also, don’t expect too much. Books are there to help kids develop their speech and imagination. Most of all, it’s meant to be fun! Acting out the scenes, making different voices for the characters, pointing out interesting pictures — all these make it interesting for them, too!”