Online platforms such as Amazon have made it easier for most to order books. With discounted prices, points to acquire, and apps offering 10 minute book deliveries, it is easy to lose out on the tangible experience.
Libraries and bookstores are an integral part of this tangible experience. Independent bookstores are attempting to contain this legacy, dispersing it to readers effectively. The Bombay Circle Press has curated a list of some of the best independent bookstores across India for a stellar reader experience.
Midland The Bookshop, Delhi
Hidden in a basement, this book shop feels like the perfect escape for bookworms and hoarders alike. Sit at a spot between the wooden shelves, and find yourself under dim lights, surrounded by an endless collection. Pick up a book and get lost in thought. With its many book club meetings and events, there is a good chance you’re in for a treat, regardless of your reading interests.
Champaca Bookstore, Bangalore
A bookstore cafe, Champaca prides itself on its ability to offer a variety of options for readers. Their shelves are stocked with voices from caste narratives in rural India to dystopian futures. It holds translations from over twenty languages, from India and internationally. With workshops, signings and other experiences to remember, Champaca has carved a space in the reading community in Bangalore that is held by no other, making it a must-visit.
Fictionary, Mumbai
Located in the heart of Bandra West, Mumbai and surrounded by colleges, this Fiction-only bookstore holds a bustling reader community within its walls. Wooden shelves paired with their green stucco-painted walls evoke a closeness to nature and universality, resonating with all fiction genres. Black tiles and mosaic patterns accent the structure, allowing a space that turns perfect when paired with books and coffee. Fictionary redefines how one engages with a bookstore, and creates a magical, improved experience for anyone entering its doors.
The Dog Ears Bookshop, Goa
A small, warm space for readers, the Dogs Ears Bookshop keeps itself quaint, allowing time to flow slower. It encourages lingering between shelves, inviting the right book to find the right reader. Their shelves are curated with care, hoisted by curiosity rather than trends. Among familiar names, you would find quiet gems and underrated novelists, voices that tend to fall beyond the radar. With regular events and workshops, a reader can enjoy a moment of calm or join a spirited discussion. The Dog Ears Bookshop makes space for everyone, providing them a simple satisfaction that lingers even after leaving.
The feeling of entering a bookstore is irreplaceable. Bookstores have always been about far more than simply buying books. Visiting these bookstores is a great way to support independent reading culture, something that needs to be sustained in this increasingly online world.
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