My heart broke a little when I walked into Roundabout and discovered that they no longer have the giant book section.

That place was seriously amazing, and every visit was like a treasure hunt. I had never once walked out of Roundabout without a stack of newly purchased pre-owned books. There was something about browsing through thousands of books that felt incredibly satisfying.

But it wasn’t all a loss. Roundabout’s books are now available for purchase through their mini program.

Some intrepid soul who works at Roundabout is tasked with the job of taking multiple photos of each book that’s donated, categorizing the book, and uploading it onto their store. It’s a serious task considering just how many books Roundabout has in their storage!

But it does makes shopping for books easier for those who don’t live in Shunyi.

While the mini program is completely in Chinese, it’s not hard to figure out how to use it. The categories are written in both English and Chinese, and multiple photos of each book are included.

Scan the QR code below to browse Roundabout’s extensive selection of books online.

And remember, money spent at Roundabout always goes towards a good cause, so get those fingers clicking and shop away!

KEEP READING: Pocket Games: Ideas to Keep in Your Back Pocket for Those “Please Sit Still!” Moments

Images: Pexels, Mina Yan

Every holiday season I restart the same pattern of procrastination. In November I tell myself that I’m not going to bother with Christmas decorations but when December rolls around and my Instagram feed is bombarded with pictures of friends back home and their beautifully decorated trees, I start wishing that I had put a bit more effort into the holiday season and that my living room didn’t look so bare.

Then I dig that one plastic Christmas tree I bought years ago out of storage and go into a Taobao frenzy and start searching for decorations, hoping that they’d arrive the next day (which most of them don’t). And then I desperately search through the bins at Jenny Lou only to leave disappointed because most of the Santa hats are just plain tacky. Do I really want to buy more cheap plastic goods that won’t last a month and add to the never-ending cycle of waste? I don’t think so.

This year, if I’m buying ornaments, they’re going to be meaningful and they’re going to do some good.

Enter Roundabout – the giant warehouse store that gives previously owned items a second chance all while raising money for a good cause. Lovingly known as Beijing’s own Salvation Army.

We know them as the place where we drop off our donations and buy second-hand goods but they’ve also got a wide selection of brand new items as well.

Beautiful handcrafted ornaments

Turn left as soon as you enter the store and you’ll find yourself surrounded by handmade holiday crafts and original Beijing inspired designs that’ll make beautiful holiday gifts for your friends and family.

Handcrafted wreath

Meaningful ornaments

Roundabout is a volunteer-run organization and the money from all purchases made at Roundabout goes to support children in need. So if you haven’t done your holiday shopping yet, go ahead and do some zero-guilt spending at Roundabout.

Address: Cathy View Plaza, No.2 Xiangjiang Bei Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Phone: 6436 8506

KEEP READING: What Else is Roundabout Good For? 

Images: Courtesy of Roundabout, Pexels