Being on the Same Page with Bibliarch/Fully Booked's Jaime Daez (Exclusive)

Fully Booked Training Manager Lisa Lopez with Bibliarch staff

During Bibliarch's soft opening at the KCC Gensan Mall on October 16, I was informed by Lisa Lopez, Fully Booked Training Manager, that their Managing Director, Jaime Daez would be doing the honors of cutting the ribbon signaling the formal opening of the store on October 19.

When I arrived at Bibliarch-KCC Mall Gensan Branch, I saw Lisa in a huddle with Gensan Kagawad Beth Bagonoc and Jaime Daez. Lisa introduced me to Jaime as the first one to blog about Bibliarch's soft opening. I told him I belong to the SoCCSKSarGen Bloggers who drummed up interest in the opening in Gensan of the first Bibliarch branch outside of Metro Manila. He thanked the bloggers for the help.

Jaime Daez, Kagawad Beth Bagonoc and KCC Mall Gensan owner enter Bibliarch-KCC Mall Gensan  after the ribbon-cutting ceremony

I told Jaime about my spending time at Bibliarch-Rockwell Center. He seemed pleasantly surprised to meet someone from Mindanao who actually visited his very first Bibliarch bookshop. I asked him if he designed the store layout of Bibliarch and Fully Booked. And beaming with pride, he said indeed he did. Jaime is an architect by profession, hence, Bibliarch is pronounced Bibli-ark, and not Bibli-arch.

He asked me what books I have bought so far. I told him I bought 3 graphic novels. "Ooh," he said, "I personally choose the titles because I am a graphic novel reader myself." Jaime is friends with the great Neil Gaiman.

I congratulated him for the special elevated kiddie reading section in Bibliarch as this will surely encourage many children in Gensan to be readers. This section caught the eyes of school principals and teachers during the soft opening.

I also ribbed him (much to his delight that his face broke into a big smile!) about Margaux Salcedo's calling him "Food for Thought and Eye Candy" in her blog and food column in Sunday Inquirer Magazine. For sure, some ladies go for tall, mestizo, intelligent, bespectacled men like Jaime who love to read.

He asked me if I have been to Fully Booked in Bonifacio High Street in Bonifacio Global City. I told him I'm still saving up for the trip. With four storeys and a basement filled to the brim with books, it will be a dream trip for any bookworm like myself!

Fully Booked in Bonifacio High Street. Photo courtesy of Southbound.ph

With an architect's eye for design, Jaime Daez's concept of a book shop. Photo courtesy of Southbound.ph

4 storeys and a basement filled with books. Photo courtesy of Southbound.ph

I thanked Jaime for the time and for opening Bibliarch in Gensan. And off he went to the ribbon-cutting ceremony. After that, he was busy meeting with well-wishers and taking pictures. The next time we meet, I hope it will at Fully Booked in Bonifacio Global City. :)