14 September,2024 07:34 AM IST | Mumbai | Spandana Bhura
Aaryan Panchal roams the shelves at Trilogy, whichcame to Bandra West in 2019.Owner Ahlaya Naidu says sales have been steadily increasing post-COVID. Pic/Aditi Haralkar
In an age where we can swipe left on reality and binge-watch entire shows without moving off the couch, the unexpected resurgence of bookstores feels almost subversive. Who would have thought that in a world dominated by algorithms and e-readers, people would start flocking to these musty havens of ink and paper once again?
Quite the plot twist, isn't it? For years, we've been told that physical books were on their way out, that e-readers and smartphones would render them obsolete. Yet here we are, witnessing the improbable comeback of the bookstore. The irony is almost delicious.
So, what is driving this renaissance of the written word, and why are these quaint, brick-and-mortar havens suddenly back in vogue?
A report issued by the Federation of Indian Publishers in 2022, said that the Indian print book market is anticipated to reach around US$12 billion in value by the end of 2024. This number demonstrates a significant growth in the consumer base for physical books.
"E-book sales are declining internationally," says Anup Jerajani of The White Crow Books and Coffee in BKC, which opened in October 2021. "Though convenient, customers can't get a browsing experience on an online store, making bookstores a nostalgic institution." It's almost as if we're collectively realising that the so-called digital revolution isn't all that it's cracked up to be."
The rise of digital platforms over the last two decades transformed how we consume media. E-books promised a future of convenience and portability, but in the shift from paper to pixels, the tactile and emotional connection to physical books seemed to fade.
"Over the years, as tech has evolved, looking for books online has mostly been driven by algorithms, and many people find this quite restrictive," says Ahalya Naidu, the co-founder of Trilogy, an indie bookstore that began its journey in 2014, and moved to the bylanes of Bandra West. Furthermore, "Post COVID, customers and readers are suffering from digital fatigue," says Jerajani. In contrast to the fleeting and ephemeral nature of online content, bookstores offer a tactical and immersive experience.
Hence, bookstores have become an antidote to the digital age's sensory deprivation. In the words of Stephan Fry, "books are no more threatened by the Kindle than stairs by elevators". After all, you can't dog-ear a PDF, and curling up with a good e-reader just doesn't have the same ring to it.
For a reader, there's something especially fulfilling about browsing shelves, and the thrill of hauling home a carefully selected loot cannot be matched," says Naidu. And therein lies the secret sauce of the revival of bookstores in 2024: serendipity.
Unlike the cold, calculated recommendations of an online retailer, which are based on your past purchases and browsing history, physical bookstores offer the thrill of the unexpected. You walk in looking for the latest bestseller and walk out with an obscure poetry collection or a tome on the history of Byzantine art!
"People love doing this. If you observe, a patron of a bookstore will stop at every single shelf to see what's there. A reader picks up a book, skims the blurb and a few pages, and then decides whether to take it," says Anup Nair, the vision behind Fictionary, Bandra's freshest literary retreat, that launched just two weeks ago.
But it is not just the element of surprise that's bringing people back through the doors of bookstores - it's the experience they have to offer. In a world where shopping has been reduced to an isolating, solitary click, bookstores offer something profoundly different: human interaction.
Trushant Tamgaonkar, the Executive Director of Title Waves, a distinctive boutique bookstore in which opened in Bandra in 2011 says, "Over the last few years, our footfall has increased by almost 15 per cent. We owe this, of course, to the new pool of readers that have emerged recently, but also to the community building experiences that Title Waves has to offer. With events such as book launches, live music, open book discussions, among others hosted on a monthly basis, we
are able to bring together a cohort of kindred spirits and like-minded individuals".
Bookstores have become sanctuaries from the relentless pace of modern life. They offer a kind of analogue refuge where you can unplug and unwind while enjoying a sweet treat or a cup of coffee, or both! "Bookstore cafes like Fictionary are chill hangout spots, dating venues as well as good places to socialise and meet other readers," says Nair. There's something special about walking into a bookstore to the combined aroma of paper and coffee, something homely and almost nostalgic.
"The coffee + books aesthetic has proven to be a winning combination," says T Jagath, the Chief Operating Officer of Kitab Khana, a bookstore in Fort founded in 2010, often described as one of the best in Mumbai. "Though Kitab Khana has been fortunate to have a loyal customer base and benefits from positive word-of-mouth marketing, the cafe Subko Mini has undoubtedly contributed to an increased footfall and a more successful bookstore experience. The cafe has become a hub within our store, fostering a sense of community and making Kitab Khana a go-to destination for book lovers and foodies alike," he says.
Another contributing factor to the resurge of bookstores is the emergence of a new clientele. "Post-pandemic, we've seen a surge in young readers opting for fiction titles," says Jagath. One could argue that the reason for this is platforms like BookTok or Bookstagram that have taken over social media with their literary recommendations.
It's a curious twist. Though BookTok and Bookstagram are tech-driven communities, they have managed to make a significant contribution in compelling the younger generations, especially fiction readers, to put down the phone and pick up a book. "Literary fiction, romance, thrillers, fantasy fiction, graphic novels have become significantly popular among youngsters in the last few years," adds Jerajani.
This is not to say that fiction that appeals to young adults is the only genre that is sought after at bookstores. "It's been a great time for readers of all genres"
says Naidu, "sci-fi, horror, cozy crime reads, translations from regional languages, narrative nonfiction, business and politics are all book genres that are drawing in a lot more readers across generations."
The revival of the bookstore isn't just about physical books; it's a celebration of diverse genres drawing readers from all walks of life. The beauty lies in this variety that is making bookstores more dynamic, inclusive, and a space of inquiry for all.
Bookstores offer more than just the thrill of finding a new novel or a great recommendation; they provide the comfort of being surrounded by like-minded readers. Far from being relics, they're essential to the future of reading. "There's no bigger joy than holding a book I discovered at a bookstore or had recommended to me by a fellow reader," says Aaryan Panchal, an avid reader of history, politics and science. Despite technological advances, we still crave something real and tangible.
So, here's to the bookstore - a place where irony and nostalgia, community and solitude, commerce and culture can all coexist. It's a reminder that, even in the 21st century, there's still magic to be found between the pages of a book.
