Reading Lights : Fiksi & Kopi

Bandung is famous for its non-stop creativity, and one of them is Reading Lights, a literary haven for vintage booklovers who are fond of reading English fictions accompanied with the warmth of a hot cup of coffee. Resided at Jalan Siliwangi No. 16, it’s an easy find if you’re heading to Ciumbuleuit, as it’s on the right hand side of the road about 100 meters from the traffic light. With Adi W. Taroepratjeka, I visited Reading Lights on one of my days off last Wednesday. And I found it to be an extremely special place.

For second-hand booklovers, especially English fictions, Reading Lights is definitely familiar. Besides college students and scholars, Reading Lights is a must-visit for foreigners who reside in Bandung. The two-storey, 200 meters square building provides a collection of three-thousand fictions that have been acquired from many sources, such as collectors or people who want to give their books away.

Why fiction? “Usually textbooks are seldom sold by their owners; besides, we decided to focus on fiction, especially those in English.” Explained Vitri (33), the manager of Reading Lights. Fans of pop novels or classic American fictions from different genres would feel overwhelmed in choosing which books they want to buy, with prices ranging from Rp. 50,000 to 200,000.

The atmosphere at Reading Lights is similar to your own home, and that’s exactly what they want it to be, “It isn’t odd to see many of our patrons unconsciously falling asleep in the sofa,” said Vitri. The patrons can sit on the sofa and the chairs provided in the vicinity, or they can simply sit on the floor in a special corner that’s provided for this very purpose.

Image 4: Books and Café. This coffee corner which has been integrated with Reading Lights since July 2010 is the result of a collaboration between three friends: Aji Darius – who recently graduated from the faculty of Economy in Parahyangan University, Otto Hidori – who’s still busy with his thesis in completing his degree in Physics at Bandung Insitute of Technology, and Willy Stephen – a college student in his fifth semester of Management at University of Padjadjaran.

For most people, reading a good book with a cup of coffee in Bandung’s chilly weather is the ultimate ecstasy, and Reading Lights offers this tantalising beverage which is separately run by Aji, Otto and Willy. The three amigos are the people who made specialty coffee become a part of Reading Lights, equipped with one espresso prosumer machine and a grinder.

Aji, who graduated in Management from University of Parahyangan in Bandung, jokingly said that this coffee corner at Reading Lights was seen as as learning phase to get into the next one. Otto Hidori, who is still busy completing his thesis in Physics at Bandung Institute of Technology (Institut Teknologi Bandung) is also a huge fan of coffee. If in line with his initial purpose, he would like his thesis to connect physics with coffee. While Willy Stephen is also busy completing his degree in Management at Padjadjaran University, also in Bandung.

Nowadays, this coffee corner that was launched in August last year, doesn’t act only as a complement to Reading Lights, but also a magnet for its patrons who can enjoy specialty coffee as a part of the services it provides. Aji admitted that coffee consumption at Reading Lights isn’t high, but overall it’s evident that many of its patrons have been drinking their coffee.

Experiencing a déjà vu, it was at Telegraph Avenue, in University of Berkeley, U.S., where I enjoyed a cup of coffee from Moe’s while looking for materials for my post-graduate literature. It was a second-hand bookstore that offered affordable prices and it was the hang-out spot for college students who were looking for secondhand textbooks, as well as fictions. Places that combine coffee and books is quite common in the States, and it’s not limited to secondhand books only. Borders at Union Square, San Francisco is one example of a bookstore integrated with a café.

If you’re a big fan of Hemingway, John Grisham or any other popular fictions, Reading Lights welcomes you to curl in its sofa and immerse yourself with a good book in the chilling cold weather of Bandung. Top that up with a nice cup of joe, and the world is at peace.

Opening Hours : 
Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday: 12 pm – 8 pm
Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 10 am – 9 pm
Monday: Close
Phone: 0821-15814058
Email : readinglights@gmail.com

____________________________________

Bahasa Indonesia

Bandung menawarkan kreativitas tanpa henti salah satunya Reading Lights, sebuah panduan pas bagi pencari surga buku-buku fiksi bekas berbahasa Inggris dan kehangatan secangkir kopi. Beralamat di jalan Siliwangi no 16, lokasi yang mudah ditemukan bagi Anda yang mengarah ke kawasan Ciumbuleuit, terletak di sebelah kanan 100 meter sebelum lampu merah. Bersama Adi W. Taroepratjeka. saya berkunjung ke Reading Lights saat liburan hari Rabu kemarin. Buat saya, ini tempat yang sangat istimewa.

Bagi para pemburu buku bekas khususnya fiksi berbahasa Inggris, nama Reading Lights tentu sudah tidak asing lagi. Selain dikunjungi para mahasiswa dan pelajar, Reading Lights merupakan langganan para pekerja asing yang berdomisili di Bandung. Bangunan dua lantai dengan luar 200 meter lebih yang terdiri dari dua lantai ini menyediakan tiga ribuan koleksi fiksi yang diperoleh dari berbagai sumber antara lain para kolektor dan orang-orang yang ingin melepas  koleksi bukunya.

Mengapa hanya fiksi ? “Biasanya buku teks jarang dijual oleh para pemiliknya, lagipula kami hanya memfokuskan pada penjualan buku-buku fiksi terutama yang berbahasa Inggris”, ujar Vitri (33th) pengelola Reading Lights. Para penggemar novel pop atau klasik Amerika dari berbagai genre silakan puyeng memilih buku mana yang hendak dibeli yang harganya berkisar antara 50-200 ribuan.

Susana Reading Lights tak ubahnya seperti rumah biasa karena kesan itu yang ingin diciptakan, “Bukan hal aneh kalau beberapa pengunjung tak sengaja tertidur di sofa” kata Vitri. Pengunjung bisa duduk di sofa dan kursi yang tersedia, pun bisa lesehan di sebuah sudut yang telah disediakan.

Buat kebanyakan orang membaca buku sambil menikmati kopi panas dalam cuaca Bandung yang lumayan “dingin” tentu saja sebuah ekstasi dan Reading Lights menyuguhkan minuman ini yang dikelola terpisah oleh Aji, Otto, dan Willy.  Ketiga orang inilah yang membidani lahirnya kopi spesial di Reading Lights dengan bermodalkan satu mesin espresso prosumer berikut penggiling kopinya.

Secera berseloroh Aji yang lulusan Manajemen Universitas Parahyangan bandung menjadikan pojok kopinya di Reading Lights sebagai sarana pembelajaran untuk masuk ke tahap berikutnya. Otto Hidori yang saat ini masih berkutat dengan tugas akhir di jurusan Fisika Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) juga kesengsem dengan dunia kopi. Bila sesuai dengan tujuan awal, kelak tugas akhirnya akan menghubungkan Fisika dengan kopi. Sementara Willy Stephen juga akan segera menyelesaikan kuliahnya di jurusan Manajemen Universitas Pajajaran Bandung.

Saat ini pojok kopi yang mereka bangun sejak bulan Agustus tahun lalu bukan hanya sebagai pelengkap, tapi sekaligus menjadikan magnet bagi Reading Lights saat para pengunjung bisa menikmati racikan menu kopi mereka. Aji mengakui kalau konsumsi kopi di Reading Lights belum tinggi, tapi secara kasat mata sudah cukup banyak pengunjung yang memesan kopi mereka.

Seakan deja vu, di Telegraph Avenue, kawasan Universitas Berkeley Amerika saya pernah menikmati secangkir kopi di Moe’s sambil mencari literatur studi S2 saya. Ini toko buku bekas dengan harga super miring dan menjadi tempat berkumpul para mahasiswa yang mencari buku-buku teks dan tentu saja tersedia banyak koleksi fiksi. Kombinasi kopi dan toko buku banyak saya temukan di Amerika, bukan hanya buku bekas tapi juga seperti Borders di Union Square San Francisco.

Kalau Anda penikmat novel Hemingway hingga John Grisham dan berbagai karya fiksi populer lainnya, duduklah di sofa dengan ditemani secangkir kopi panas dalam cuaca kota Bandung yang cukup sejuk. Rasanya sudah cukup dunia ini. Reading Lights !

* * * *

Jam buka :
Selasa, Rabu, Minggu : 12.00 – 20.00
Kamis, Jumat, Sabtu : 10.00 – 21.00
Senin : Tutup
Telepon : 0821-15814058
email : readinglights@gmail.com