Many family businesses are built through years of hard work, but some are tested much earlier than expected. For Rex Book Store, one of the Philippines’ most recognizable educational publishing companies today, the first major challenge came soon after the business had just begun.
According to Atty. Jimmy Buhain, chairman of Rex Book Store, the company traces its origins to his biological father, who once worked for another bookseller before deciding to build a business of his own.
“We started Rex Book Store, which was founded by my biological father,” Buhain recalls. “He used to work for another company called Central Book Supply, if I recall correctly. But then he decided to start a separate business, and he put up what became known as Rex Book Store.”
The name itself carried a simple but ambitious idea.
“My father came up with the name Rex,” Buhain explains. “Parang Latin word ’yan, kasi the meaning of Rex is ‘king.’ He just meant ‘king’ to say, you’re the king of a bookstore, parang ganon.”
The small bookstore began operating along Claro M. Recto Avenue in Manila, an area known for its concentration of bookstores and students searching for textbooks. Their shop stood directly across from the old Cinerama Theater, placing them in the middle of a busy commercial district where books were constantly in demand.
But the young business soon faced a devastating setback.
“Then, my father got ill,” Buhain says. “He had a liver problem, and his life was cut short because of that liver ailment.”
With the founder gone, the future of the bookstore suddenly became uncertain. Many small family businesses collapse when the person who started them is no longer around to lead.
In the case of Rex Book Store, the responsibility fell on Buhain’s mother.
“So my mother took over Rex Book Store,” he says.
Running a business alone after losing a spouse was not easy, especially during a time when many small enterprises depended heavily on the founder’s personal relationships and experience. Yet the bookstore remained open and continued serving its customers along Recto.
The area itself was a competitive environment. Recto was home to numerous bookstores that catered to students and professionals looking for academic materials. Despite the competition, Rex Book Store managed to stay afloat during those difficult early years.
In many ways, that moment became the first test of resilience for the family.
The story of Rex Book Store’s survival reflects a pattern seen in many Filipino family businesses. When crises strike—whether through illness, financial difficulty, or unexpected loss—family members often step in to keep the enterprise alive.
What began as one man’s entrepreneurial venture could easily have ended when he passed away. Instead, the determination of the family ensured that the bookstore continued operating, laying the foundation for what would eventually grow into one of the country’s most established educational publishing companies.
For Buhain, the lesson from those early years remains clear: businesses may start with one person’s vision, but their survival often depends on the strength and commitment of the family that stands behind them.
