National Book Store
| File:National Book Store logo.svg Logo used since 1996 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1942 in Manila, Philippines |
| Founder | José Ramos and Socorro Cáncio-Ramos |
| Headquarters | Mandaluyong , Philippines |
Area served | Philippines |
Key people | Adrian Paulino S. Ramos (NBS College president) |
| Products | Books, office and school supplies, office furnishings |
Number of employees | 2,500 (2015) |
National Book Store, Inc. (also known as National Bookstore and abbreviated as NBS) is a privately owned retail enterprise headquartered in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. It operates the country's largest chain of bookstores and office supply outlets, boasting over 230 locations nationwide. Its inventory encompasses books, office and school supplies, as well as office furnishings. Employing approximately 2,500 staff members as of 2015, the company also controls subsidiaries including Anvil Publishing, Metrobooks (based in Hong Kong), and Powerbooks.
Early history
The roots of National Book Store date back to the 1930s, but the company was officially founded in 1942 by José Ramos and Socorro Cáncio-Ramos. The business began modestly from a small rented corner within a haberdashery situated at the base of Escolta Bridge in Santa Cruz, Manila, starting with a capital of ₱211. It initially sold GI novels, textbooks, and various supplies. During World War II, restrictions on books led the store to pivot towards selling candies, soap, and slippers. The establishment was destroyed amid the 1945 Battle of Manila but was subsequently rebuilt on Soler Street near Avenida Rizal, reopening in time for the first academic year following the war.
In 1948, after Typhoon Gene devastated the premises once more, a new two-story structure with a mezzanine level was constructed. Throughout the 1950s, National Book Store broadened its offerings to include greeting cards showcasing Philippine themes and initiated a publishing program through collaborations with international publishers such as McGraw-Hill, Prentice Hall, Lippincott, and Addison-Wesley. In 1955, the Ramos family purchased land from the Guerrero family and erected the nine-story Albercer Building in 1963—named after Alfredo, Benjamin, and Cecilia—which housed one of their branches.
The company expanded its portfolio by acquiring rights to reprint internationally recognized greeting card brands for distribution within the Philippines. After several years holding rights to Gibson cards, National Book Store secured the Philippine franchise for Hallmark Cards in 1973 by outbidding an established rival.
Expansion and recent history
The Ramos siblings further extended National Book Store's footprint by opening a branch on Recto Avenue, a popular area among students. During the 1970s, additional branches were established within malls located in Makati and Cubao. Over subsequent decades, mall developers actively pursued collaborations with the Ramos family, contributing to sustained expansion. By 1988, National Book Store was ranked among the top 100 corporations in the Philippines, generating $1 million in profits on revenues of $34.7 million. In 2004, it secured the 308th position on Retail Asia-Pacific’s Top 500 retailers list.
As of 2015, National Book Store commanded approximately 80% of the Philippine book market share and operated roughly 127 branches nationwide. It also oversaw Metrobooks, a subsidiary based in Hong Kong launched in 2007; however, this outlet reportedly ceased operations by May 2018.
In preparation for listing on the Philippine Stock Exchange, National Book Store planned a backdoor listing strategy by renaming Vulcan Industrial & Mining Corp., another Ramos-owned entity, to National Book Store Retail Corp. This initiative aimed at broadening its scope into wholesale distribution, publishing, printing services, manufacturing, and logistics.
In 2017, National Book Store ventured into education with the establishment of NBS College at its headquarters on Quezon Avenue. By 2018, its branch network expanded to around 230 locations nationwide. Under the leadership of College president Adrian Paulino S. Ramos, NBS College offers six academic programs: BS Accountancy, BS Accounting Information System, BS Entrepreneurship, BS Computer Science, BS Library and Information Science, and BS Tourism Management.
Subsidiaries
Among the subsidiaries of National Book Store are Powerbooks, a bookstore specializing in niche markets, and Metrobooks, which operates out of Hong Kong. Its publishing division is managed by Anvil Publishing. Toward the end of 2016, the company diversified its retail offerings by launching three specialized outlets: Art Bar, focusing on arts and crafts; Noteworthy, dedicated to stationery and gift items; and Work Station, which supplies office materials and equipment.
Brand image
The concept for the National Book Store brand was developed by co-founder Socorro Ramos, who drew inspiration from the well-known National Cash Register machine. The initial logo, created by Ramos herself, displayed the store’s name against a white backdrop with red and white stripes and remained in use for five decades.
In 1996, prompted by suggestions from Ramos’ descendants, the company introduced a refreshed logo featuring the store name in a sleek font set on a red background. This update was designed by a Singapore-based agency that also revamped the store’s interior design.
In 2016, National Book Store collaborated with the French design firm Malherbe to roll out a more contemporary and modernized store aesthetic, starting with its branch at SM City North EDSA.