With approximately 5.5 tons of collected comic books, Nguyen Thi An has created a unique reading space in Hanoi, connecting comic book lovers and spreading the habit of reading in the community.
Người Đưa Tin•31/10/2026
Driven by her childhood love for comic books, 29-year-old Nguyen Thi An has turned her dream of opening a comic book store into reality. With approximately 5.5 tons of collected comic books, this young woman has not only created a space to relive childhood memories but also contributed to bringing reading culture closer to the youth of Hanoi.
Transforming a love of comics into a community reading space.
In the context of electronic devices and social media increasingly impacting information consumption habits, maintaining a reading culture, especially among young people, poses many new demands. In Hanoi , Nguyen Thi An’s comic book reading space model is creating another option for readers to access books and rediscover the habit of reading in person.
Sharing her thoughts on opening the Lorn Collection comic book store, An said that she had a passion for comics since childhood and always dreamed of owning her own store. However, it wasn’t until 2020, during the pandemic, that she began seriously collecting comics.
From just a few initial comic book series, An’s collection gradually expanded to dozens, then hundreds of sets. To date, the total volume of comic books she owns is estimated at around 5.5 tons, with at least 500-600 sets according to previous estimates.
However, An’s biggest motivation for realizing her idea of opening a shop stemmed not only from her personal interest but also from her experience of caring for her young child.
An shared that her child had a speech delay and underwent nearly two years of intervention to improve language skills, gradually catching up with the development of peers. Throughout that journey, reading books and talking with her child every day, with the support of teachers, became an important part of family life.
From her own experience, An realized the value of reading and direct interaction for the development of young children. This motivated her to think about transforming her personal comic book collection into an open reading space, where young children would have more opportunities to engage with books, cultivate a reading habit, and develop communication skills.
Furthermore, An is concerned about the fact that many children spend too much time on phones and electronic devices. She hopes to provide a healthy form of entertainment, suitable for their age, to help them rediscover the joy of reading.
“I want to contribute a small part to spreading the reading culture, so that young children can return to simple things that are appropriate for their age,” An shared.
When she opened the shop, An already had about 4 tons of comic books accumulated over the years, so she didn’t need to invest much in buying books or decorations. Her biggest worry was how to get more people to know about the shop. Fortunately, her first social media posts quickly attracted attention, helping Lorn Collection gain customers right from the start of its operation.
To date, Lorn Collection has become a meeting place for many groups of readers. It’s not just students; the shop also welcomes working adults and even married people. Readers here range in age from around 10 to over 40, so the collection is constantly being updated to meet the needs of various age groups.
In particular about 70% of customers who visit the shop tend to return. Many people can spend 4-5 hours here reading in a quiet and comfortable space
To ensure young children have access to appropriate content, An and her colleagues regularly observe and research the children’s age and recommend suitable comic books. Currently, the shop has about 10 collaborators from various universities. Their common trait is a love for comics and a desire to work in a space connected to their interests.
Bringing comics closer to generations of readers.
Not only does An’s shop attract people who have been attached to comics since childhood, but it has also become a destination for many young readers who are exploring the concept of reading comics in a shop for the first time.
The name Lorn Collection also carries a special meaning, which An explains as “a forgotten collection.” According to her, between 2000 and 2012, comics were very popular, especially in Hanoi. Many young people had a habit of going to comic book rental shops and spending time reading their favorite series.
However, with the rise of smartphones and online entertainment, that habit gradually changed. Many comic book stores and rental shops closed down one after another because they no longer had the same number of customers as before.
Therefore, An hopes that through her comic book store, she can evoke a part of memories that were once very familiar to many people, while also creating an opportunity for the younger generation to access comics in a more accessible way.
The experience at the shop shows that the appeal of comic books lies not only in the content but also in the feeling of holding the book in your hands and reading with people who share the same interest.
Visiting Lorn Collection comic book store for the first time after learning about it on social media, 23-year-old Dinh Bao Long said he was impressed with the spacious and airy atmosphere, where many people can read comics together and find their own enjoyment.
According to Long, after stressful working hours, reading and immersing himself in the world of the characters is an effective way to relax. Especially at Lorn Collection, Long rediscovered series that were a part of his childhood, such as Doraemon, Shin, Naruto, and Conan.
“I feel like even two hours here isn’t enough. This might be a place I’ll frequently return to reread my childhood comics from the beginning,” Long shared.
Not only does the shop attract young working adults, it’s also a popular destination for many high school students. Nguyen Nhat An, a 10th-grade student, learned about Lorn Collection through his father’s recommendation. On his first visit, he was impressed by the rich and diverse collection of comics.
Comparing reading to using a phone, Nhat An believes that holding a book in her hands is still more enjoyable than reading on a screen. She also maintains the habit of reading on weekends and hopes to continue returning to the shop.
From a different perspective, Nguyen Tuan Linh, 44, father of Nguyen Nhat An, found the comic book store through online communities for exchanging used comics on social media. What he found appealing was being able to read long-published series, including works he had missed when he was a child.
According to Linh, not every family can afford to buy a complete set of comic books. Therefore, the comic book reading shop model creates an opportunity for many people to access their favorite series without having to own the entire collection.
However, besides the advantages in terms of the number of books and reading space, Mr. Linh also wishes the shop could organize the books more scientifically , categorize them by genre, and have a search system so that readers can easily find what they’re looking for.
For Nguyen Thi An, positive feedback from readers is the motivation to continue maintaining and developing the model. Most memorable is the story of a young child whose father sent him to the bookstore to read stories for nearly 20 consecutive days during the summer.
According to An, the child was quite shy, withdrawn, and hesitant to talk to those around her. During her time at the shop, An and her colleagues spent time talking to her, reading stories, and interacting with her.
After about 15 days, the family noticed positive changes in An, who became more confident, proactive in greeting and communicating with people. The father expressed his gratitude to An for the experiences she had there.
“Actually, I haven’t done anything too extraordinary, but knowing that I can contribute a small part to the community, to the children growing up in Hanoi, makes me feel very happy,” An expressed.
Based on her experience, An believes that mobile phones aren’t inherently bad; the important thing is that users know how to control the content they consume. For young children, parents need to accompany, guide, and instill a reading habit in them from an early age.
An expressed her wish that each family would dedicate about 20-30 minutes each day to reading, chatting, and sharing interesting things with their children. These small activities, when done regularly, will contribute to nurturing a love of reading in children.
In the future, An hopes to expand the Lorn Collection model to many locations, from Hanoi to other provinces and cities, including Ho Chi Minh City. She hopes that each place will have more similar reading spaces, helping more people access books and comics and find the joy of reading.
An’s story shows that spreading a reading culture doesn’t necessarily have to start with large-scale projects. Sometimes, a love of books, perseverance, and a desire to contribute to the community are enough for a young person to create a meaningful reading space, bringing books closer to modern life.
Original article
https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/hon-5-tan-truyen-tranh-va-hanh-trinh-dua-van-hoa-doc-tro-lai-204261031184013181.htm
Tag:Reading culturenewshà nộicomic
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