Bookstore chain to open more branches

National Bookstore Inc. of the Ramos family may open up to 15 new branches this year as it anticipates sustained demand for its products, Adrian Ramos yesterday told reporters.

The stores will be set up in major malls nationwide. National Bookstore will fund the expansion using internally generated funds, said Ramos, who executive vice president of Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp., which the Ramos family also owns.

One of the stores, a 450-square-meter branch, will open at SM Aura next month.

According to Ramos, National Bookstore will continue its expansion program in the Philippines even though it opened a store in Hong Kong about five years ago.

The company considers Hong Kong to be a test market, Ramos said.

“In the Philippines, it’s a great business. National Bookstore is still known as a preeminent source of stationary, school and office supplies,” Ramos explained.

He noted that, as the Philippine population grows—with the economy along with it—demand for school supplies will remain robust.

On the company’s plan to join the stock exchange, Ramos said this would require approval from shareholders of Vulcan Industrial and Mining Corp., a sister firm.