### Crowds Gather to Bidding Farewell to a Hong Kong Bookstore Before Its Final Closure

Hong Kong's vibrant independent bookstore scene witnessed a poignant farewell on Sunday as the iconic Have a Nice Stay bookstore closed its doors for the last time. The event was marked by a steady stream of customers queuing up to pay their respects, browse the remaining stock, and share stories inside the 600-square-foot space in Kowloon district.

The closure of Have a Nice Stay, which has been in operation since 2022, comes amidst a broader decline in the city's once-thriving independent bookstore industry. This downturn has been attributed to the sweeping national security legislation imposed by Beijing in 2020, which has stifled political and social discourse through the suppression of independent news outlets and literature.

The bookstore, which was co-founded by a group of former Stand News journalists and veteran media professionals following the closure of several independent local news outlets, has been at the forefront of this struggle. "We no longer have the ability, or perhaps the courage, to continue fulfilling the mission of using books to share knowledge drawn from a diversity of perspectives," the store stated in an online message last month.

The final day of operation was a poignant reminder of the bookstore's resilience and the community's support. The line of customers, which snaked down the staircase, was a testament to the importance of Have a Nice Stay as a space for civil society, hosting book talks and workshops that provided a platform for political and social discourse.

The closure was announced on July 14, with the store citing poor business performance, financial pressures, uncertainty over its premises, and Hong Kong's wider social environment as the reasons for shutting down. "Over the past six months we have faced financial deficits, though at times we managed to scrape by. Looking at Hong Kong's broader economic situation, we can only pessimistically conclude that it will become increasingly difficult to carry on," the store explained.

The closure of Have a Nice Stay also highlights the elusive "red lines" imposed by the government, which have made it difficult for bookstores to operate freely. "Government officials have made it clear that they will not specify which books may or may not be sold ... We cannot read every book, nor are we able to determine which books may be considered problematic," the store stated.

This is not the first time Hong Kong's bookstores have faced such challenges. In an earlier incident, National Security Police targeted three other bookstores that were accused of displaying or selling publications with seditious intent and arrested several people. The most high-profile bookseller incident occurred in late 2015, when five publishers and booksellers associated with the Causeway Bay Books store disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

The bookstore had been famous for selling gossipy, politically sensitive paperbacks about mainland Chinese leaders. All five later emerged in mainland Chinese custody and delivered televised confessions related to their alleged offences.

As Have a Nice Stay closes its doors, it leaves behind a legacy of resistance and a reminder of the ongoing struggle for freedom of expression in Hong Kong. The bookstore's founders and staff have expressed hope that their mission to share knowledge and foster a culture of open dialogue will continue in some form, even as the physical space fades into history.