Gunung Agung (bookstore)
Encyclopedia
Gunung Agung is one of Indonesia
's leading bookstore companies. It is named after the volcano of that name in Bali, Indonesia.
The origin of the bookstore dates back to the early 1950s when the late Tjio Wie Tay (1927-1990), who later became popularly known as Haji Masagung, started a kiosk
selling books, newspaper and magazines under the partnership name Thay San Kongsie in Central Jakarta
, part of Jakarta
. As the business grew bigger and more complex in the early post-independence years, Masagung established a new company that published and imported books, named Firma Gunung Agung.
The company continued to grow with the support of poets, writers, scholars and journalist. Amidst the difficulties faced by the new nation, Masagung pioneered the effort to open the eyes of the nation through books. He organized Indonesia's first book fair
in 1954.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
's leading bookstore companies. It is named after the volcano of that name in Bali, Indonesia.
The origin of the bookstore dates back to the early 1950s when the late Tjio Wie Tay (1927-1990), who later became popularly known as Haji Masagung, started a kiosk
Kiosk
Kiosk is a small, separated garden pavilion open on some or all sides. Kiosks were common in Persia, India, Pakistan, and in the Ottoman Empire from the 13th century onward...
selling books, newspaper and magazines under the partnership name Thay San Kongsie in Central Jakarta
Central Jakarta
Central Jakarta is one of the five cities which form Jakarta, Indonesia. It had 898,883 inhabitants at the 2010 Census.Central Jakarta is the smallest in area and population of the five cities of Jakarta. It is the administrative and political center of Jakarta and Indonesia...
, part of Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
. As the business grew bigger and more complex in the early post-independence years, Masagung established a new company that published and imported books, named Firma Gunung Agung.
The company continued to grow with the support of poets, writers, scholars and journalist. Amidst the difficulties faced by the new nation, Masagung pioneered the effort to open the eyes of the nation through books. He organized Indonesia's first book fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
in 1954.