FLY ME TO THE MOOM
A bibliophile’s dream is in Taiwan’s capital city
In the 2020’s, the plot of Nora Ephron’s 1998 hit ‘You’ve Got Mail’ has come to life; hole-in-the-wall bookshops across the US have fallen to the convenience of book giants like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. However, as #BookTok remains an exceedingly popular category across social media, a new generation of readers have rallied to support small businesses. In New York, we have McNally Jackson. In LA, we have Booksoup. Across the Pacific, we have MOOM.
Situated on a quiet residential corner, the shop’s interior resembles more of a luxury fragrance brand than a coffee table book mecca. It’s the kind of aesthetic place that frequently has a gaggle of influencers outside taking endless photos to get the perfect ‘unamused, I’m-too-cool-to-care’ type of underexposed candid.
Inside you will find shelves of one-of-a-kind gems that, get this, aren’t even available on Amazon. Numerous publications are written in English, but a generous portion are translated into a variety of languages: Mandarin, German, Dutch, Japanese, French, etc.
The first time I went to MOOM, I picked up a collection of Marin Parr photo books. As a photographer in a past life, I’m a bit ashamed to admit I had not seen his work before walking into MOOM. But that's the whole point of books, isn’t it? To learn!
On occasion, MOOM hosts community events and exhibitions. I’d recommend checking out their Instagram before popping over just to double-check that the store is open to the public. (On one of the days I paid MOOM a visit, they were closed for a private event). Scheduling aside, their Instagram is lush with shoutouts to some of their uncommon offerings and indie multi-media artists: furniture designers, ceramistics, textile designers, and more.
Maybe it’s because I’m getting older or maybe it’s got something to do with the overwhelming market of online shopping, but these days I can’t help but appreciate shops with a narrow field of inventory. And, at MOOM, there’s always something to discover. The amount of niche interest books and magazines makes it the perfect place to pick up a souvenir for yourself or a friend. Side note: I personally love receiving a coffee table book as a gift from friends; it’s intentional, practical, decorative, educational, and a little more interesting than a random bottle of wine that you picked up on the way to my house.
If you’re visiting Taipei, I’d recommend packing light to accommodate the treasure you will find at MOOM. However, if you’re the ‘carry-on or bust’ type of traveler, I’m judging you and MOOM has a website that ships their selection internationally.
In summation, MOOM is a lovely place to treasure hunt for a publication that feels tailor-made to your interests. Whether you’re picking something up for yourself or a friend, you will find something well worth the visit. I can’t recommend it enough!
You can browse MOOM’s selection from 12 PM - 8PM daily at the following address:
No. 16號, Alley 8, Lane 251, Section 3, Zhongxiao E Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10654