If you love the sweet smell of old books, then here’s something which is sure to bring a big, broad smile on your face! Bengaluru has a whole lot of second-hand bookstores which sell good old books, that will fulfill ever book lover’s fantasy. And the good news is that some of these stores also sell new books. Book lovers, get ready to lose yourself in these five pleasurable hubs in the city!
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1. Select
Seated in the busy lanes of Brigade road, Select is a book shop which over 70 years old and is, of course, every book worm’s favourite hangout in the city. One of Bengaluru’s best-kept secrets, Select was frequented by famous faces like Ruskin Bond and Ramachandra Guha. If that does not impress you enough, the store also houses hard copies of Walter Scott poems printed in 1900 for under INR 500. Not just that, one can also find rare books on topics like anthropology and steam locomotives.
Where:Â No.71, Brigade Road Cross
Contact:Â 080 2558 0770
Facebook: Selectbookhouse
2. Blossom Book House
Image source: lbb.in
What started in 2001 as a petite 200 square feet shop, is now one of the best and the biggest second-hand book stores in the city. The bookshop houses between 200,000 and 300,000 titles, some sourced from around the country and some imported from abroad. The old version of the store was generously spread across three floors. While the new store is not as charming as its old counterpart, the additions and modifications are sure to leave you spell-bound. Located a few metres away from its old store, the new one does have a bigger collection of books, but that’s not all! The new store has stationery, toys, board games and a cute, little reading corner for those who wish to sit back with a book. Newer books, best sellers, and latest releases and comics are stocked right up in the front while the second-hand books occupy the far end. Well, once here, you are sure to be happy browsing through books old, new, known and unknown, while your kids can have fun with some playdough and painting sets. Lastly, don’t forget to stop by their elevator to check out the notices of events which will be hosted at the bookstore.
Where:Â No. 84/6, Church Street, Opposite Amoeba, Haridevpur, Shanthala Nagar
Contact:Â 080 2555 9733
Facebook: Blossombookhouse
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3. Goobe’s Book Republic
Image source: lbb.in
A simple chalkboard sign urges book lovers to discover this quaint little store on Church Street. This is where you must head if you love to keep signed copies of your favourite authors. That said, the intimate space allows you to interact with the librarians and also make suggestions on what books you might enjoy reading next etc. Within this cute, little basement shop is housed some of the brilliant crime novels, science fiction, travelogues, and some pretty esoteric books. One can also spot illustrated children’s books and cookbooks. What’s best about Goobe’s is that you are sure not to get overwhelmed by the collection. So, that makes it very manageable for book nerds.
Where:Â 11, Church Street
Contact: 080 40903806
Facebook: Goobe’srepublic
4. The Bookworm
Image source:Â whatshot.in
Yet another reader’s paradise on Church street, the Bookworm is not a fashionable book store, like most others. Well, that also why there is no best sellers rack and the store offers Birth of Venus and Amitav Ghosh’s Ibis trilogy on the same rack, letting its readers choose. Mouldy, second-hand books, one of the charming elements of the store, are stacked in the back rows. You can be sure to lay your hands on pretty much anything from old Jeffrey Archers, classic detective tales to something cheesy like The World’s Greatest Hollywood Scandals. A new addition to the store is a huge hall on the second floor, which is used for book launches and readings.
Where:Â No. 1 Church Street, opposite Starbucks Coffee
Contact:Â 098450 76757
Facebook: Bookworm
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Image source: thecitizen.in
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Mansi Zaveri
Neha Savla
Parul Gupta
KSP Team
