An independent Singapore bookstore has closed temporarily after its problematic owner was called out for leching on his young female employees.
BooksActually last night announced it will close until the end of the week after founder Kenny Leck, 43, was accused of preying on several staff, including one he would marry and divorce.
“Hi everyone, we’d like to announce that we will be taking a break for the rest of the week for the sake of our mental wellbeing. We understand the community’s need for answers, changes, and clarification, but we seek your understanding in allowing our team space, time, and privacy to allow this process to take place,” the bookstore wrote. The comments section has been limited on all their social media platforms.
“We would like to ask for your grace and empathy for now.”
Long dogged by rumors, Leck was the subject of a Saturday expose in which former employees accused of having romances with his women employees in their early 20s, one of whom is his ex-wife Renee Ting, who also claimed he did not pay her for months and made her sleep at the back of the store on a thin mattress.
Leck acknowledged “personal failings” in his response the day and announced that he would step down as owner of the bookstore. He said it was “not that time” for him to discuss the specific allegations.
The bookstore on Sunday said it had been making sure employees are paid on time and working regular hours for the past two years. It will also “strengthen anti-harassment policies.”
BooksActually opened in 2005 and shifted online last year after closing the physical store at Upper Weld Road. It mainly sells fiction and poetry titles while championing works by local writers.
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BooksActually owner accused of preying on young staff to step down
