Amid the Thai designer boutiques in CentralWorld, there lies a dark mysterious place that sends shivers down your spine—like stepping into an old cathedral. It is all decked out in medieval architectural arches, complete with rusty chandeliers and ladders leading to shelves of arcane tomes of knowledge. With its masonry, flickering candles, and big leather sofa, this den looks like the perfect place to relax after a game of quiddish or a particularly grueling dark arts lesson.
And yet, Create 8 (3/F, Zone A [in front of Zen Department Store], Ratchadamri Rd., 02-646-1850/-2. Open daily 10am-10pm) is anything but dusty and medieval. Piping hot releases on pop art, architecture, high fashion and graphic designs line the shelves. Think Playground! except that Create 8 is hopefully here to stay.
Create 8 draws on a Singaporean importer to supply titles you won’t find anywhere else in town. Books here are mostly heavy coffee table hardcovers so expect the prices to be no lower than B2,000. It’s the price to pay to get more than the usual DistriThai selection found at Kinokunoya or Asiabooks. Take a look at urban graphic designer Shepard Fairey’s Obey: Supply and Demand (B2,650) or upscale fashion memoir Vera Wang on Weddings (B2,950).
As for magazines, aside from the usual mainstream bestsellers like VOGUE, ELLE and even the likes of InTouch Weekly, Create 8 also stocks some rare foreign faves like The Architectural Review (B745), British visual arts magazine Creative Review (B475) and skaters and graffiti culture’s rag from Berlin, Lodown (B300).
There are also fun gifts and collectibles near the humongous cashier counters: Happy Tree Friends plushies (B785), Lomo cameras (B2,000-15,000) and other unaffordable design toys.
For art addicts, spending B5,000 automatically makes you a member, which means a 5% discount on future splurges. But everyone is welcome to their attached café for some tea and fashionable a la carte rice dishes (starting at B100).
