Ever wondered how it felt to have your own book store? Your own personal sales for library? You might have included this in the list of businesses you consider but I am sure you haven’t thought where you will get the stocks of items you will be selling. Good news for you because students’ favorite, The National Book Store, finally opened their doors for franchisors here in the country. Yes, you read that right, people can now franchise National Book Store if they are interested in opening a book store here in the country.
Read: How do you Choose a Good Franchise in the Philippines
After over 75 years of complete operations here in our country, the office supplies giant is now opening its doors and opportunities of franchise here in our country.
Although its operations were fully recognized around the 1940s, the roots of the National Book Store can be traced as early as 1930 even before the Japanese occupation. Socorro Cáncio-Ramos (Nanay Coring) and José Ramos were the people who started the chain. They started out with a capital of P211.00 which was a fortune by then because in 2015, that amount is equivalent to P15,047.00 .
At first, they were just selling text books, school supplies, and GI novels. However, they transitioned to selling other stuff like candies, slippers, and soap because of the war. Unfortunately, the store was burned in 1945 because of the Battle of Manila despite its success in the industry. They regained composure and got back on track but was again hit by a catastrophe in 1948 by Typhoon Gene.
Read: Editorial Staff Want to Become a PCSO Lotto Agent? Here’s What You Need to Know
Years later, they were able to fund it enough for it to reopen again early 1950s continuing the Ramoses track until it became the best book store our country has now.
If you are wondering, BusinessWorld’s Top 1000 Corporations in the Philippines lists National Book Store as the Philippines’ 373rd biggest corporation or company last 2016. Their income? They just grossed P5.7 billion in 2015 with a net income of P989 million on that year alone.
Imagine, getting more investors and even just getting a percent of that, wouldn’t you be happy you were a bookworm?
From Nanay Coring, Xandra Ramos-Padilla, the managing director of the country’s most notable school supplies and book stores, said that they have something special this year especially to entrepreneurs who want a new taste of the industry; to people who are not afraid to take the risk of dealing with something new in the business industry.
This year, we are starting a new chapter. We are opening doors and opportunities for potential business partners. We are opening NBS Express for franchise.”
Eight decades was the time period where members of the founder’s family, which is Socorro Ramos, were the only ones who were able to manage the business. Now, they are opening their arms for other business partners interested in servicing what they service.
Read: Start Your Own Kuya J Restaurant Even With Little Capital as They Also Provide Financing
As the name suggests, NBS or the National Book Store, is still a branch or a subsidiary brand of the original National Book Store although the store format is a little bit smaller. The difference would be seen in the floor area and the things they offer.
NBS Express is usually only 200 square meters, only half of what the size of National Book Stores are in malls which are usually anywhere around 400 square meters. In addition to that, they only mostly offer office and school supplies; the books that their inventories will have is only 10 percent of the original that National Book Stores carry. This is because according to Xandra, NBS Express branches are meant to carry the best that National Book Store is offering.
This business strategy will allow us to expand more efficiently and reach communities not yet catered to by our existing stores.”
Xandra Ramos-Padilla is eager in helping the society to have the products and the supplies that National Book Store offers because she believes that what they have can be of good aid to people who want to use them appropriately and efficiently.
Read: Affordable Franchise Businesses You can Start for as Low as Php90k to Php200k
If you are looking to join the running 237 National Book Store branches nationwide, which is complemented by an e-commerce website that ships nationwide and a national delivery hotline, you can learn more about how to go about franchising by contacting Karlo Balbuena at nbexfranchising@nationalbookstore.com.ph.
Alternatively, you can contact them by dialing or texting 0917-502-6782
Franchise packages would require an investor to have a minimum amount of P6.4 million. In this capital, they would already get the store’s equipment and construction and a franchise agreement good for a good ten (10) years.
Last year, Xandra said that they are still keeping the number of potential business partners conservatively. Their goal was to have additional three (3) or four (4) more branches before this year started and they are currently focusing on building in rural areas of Luzon. However, they would start exploring more locations in Visayas and Mindanao starting this year.
Their plan of expansion is in line with their goal to roll out 500 stores by the year 2020. When they made the announcement, they had a total of 237 stores nationwide and eleven (11) of which are NBS Express stores.
The NBS Express stores are mostly the ones seen in community malls and town plazas. We have found that it has been very successful especially when it’s in a good location, near schools and churches. We are looking for active entrepreneurs, those who can look into the business like it’s their own. We can grow the business organically but if we can find partners that can really look after the business, then we can reach more customers.”
Even if they are planning on expanding the National Book Store on a larger scale, Xandra expressed her wants about potential business partners. Xandra would like to kick it off with partners who have experience in entrepreneurship. Eventually, they would have teams roll out to people who are starting in the industry who are interested in taking part of expanding the current stature of the National Book Store now.
Read: List of Gasoline Station and LPG Brands That Are Open For Franchise
Are you interested in franchising National Book Store? Are you prepared to handle an NBS Express store? If yes, what are you waiting for? You have the details, you know the contact numbers, all you have to do is to call and to communicate with their team.
Start and be the own boss of your National Book Store Express now and help the company achieve its goal of spreading knowledge throughout the country.
Related Articles 
Skip to content