Jane Chen / Shanghai Daily news

Shanghai Book Mall, the city's biggest bookstore, will create more space for business and open its new expanded store in September, today's Oriental Morning Post reported.
According to the bookstore strategy seminar held by the parent company, Shanghai Xinhua Distribution Group Co, the expansion plan is part of a new strategy by the new general manager Li Quan.
The former general manager of China's leading electric home appliance manufacturer, Hai'er Group, Li has taken the new position in Xinhua early this year.
In his plan, Li planned to copy the business model of such large home appliance retailers as Gome and Yongle to the book mall to reinforce the bookstore's market stronghold by expanding business space and sales networks.
Currently, the Shanghai Book Mall occupies the first seven floors of its 27-storey building, with over 10,000 square meters of business spaces.  Floors above the bookstore are for offices.
Market analysts seemed not in favor of this strategy, doubting whether the business mode of the home appliance retailing chain could suit book retailers.  They said business space is not that important to the success of bookstores, while prices may make a difference.