An oasis for booklovers

GOODS ONCE purchased will be exchanged...

It takes a lot of belief in the self for a retail outlet to announce that. A confidence in its quality and commitment to customers. At Crossword, you get all that in abundance.

Glimpse inside and you will know why. A guy in a check shirt is seated comfortably taking notes from a huge book. Any other place, he would be embarrassed to do that. He would be stared down by half a dozen salesmen, and attempting a sitting posture without a chair should be pretty awkward.

And the theory about kids taking to adult gestures... you will see it demonstrated here. Tiny little tots in bright greens on the table with a Harry Potter. That's what Crossword does to you - get's you interested in books.

``We are looking at books as a lifestyle product,'' says R.Sriram, CEO, Crossword Bookstores. ``There's one to add value to the life of every literate, urban person.''

For instance, child care books offer a lot for mothers, especially in the present urban setting. Management or self-help books for the young executive, or cook books for the adventurous foodie. The point: You don't have to be a literature lover to come to a bookstore.

For a store that's just celebrated its first anniversary in the City, Crossword makes a lot of sense. But that must be because it's just one of a nationwide chain of 10 stores.

``The traditional notion is that a bookstore sells fiction. But about 75 per cent of books in any store are non- fiction.''

But the setting is what takes the cake. Look around, and almost on every shelf you will find recommendation tags. A personal touch that helps the customer zero in on quality. And feel free to exchange the book if you do not quite like it.

Sriram, a math graduate from Loyola, is a book lover with a wide range of interests: Crime, mystery, science fiction, Indian English literature, contemporary English literature, business and management, psychology, philosophy, travel, economics, cooking, end.

His interest found him a job with Landmark during its evolution, and he soon found his calling. ``Rather, the calling found me.''

Now, he is reckoned a master businessman who can reel away on retail management. ``The consumer, a more sophisticated and aware lot today, is king, queen, prime minister and president, all put together.''

Trite, but he's taken bookstores to a new level. Pinky Virani has been here, so has Harshavardhan, the Crorepati. Madhavan Kutty was here last week, and soon, Crossword will bring in Anita Nair for an interactive.

Besides, there are reading sessions for children every Saturday, reading sessions, gift voucher options that can be redeemed in parts, and loyalty programmes. Chennai has never been treated better.

Positioning Crossword at the Shoppers Stop complex is another masterstroke, in line with Sriram's philosophy of books as a lifestyle means. ``We tap in the customers who come for lifestyle products and get them interested in books.''

The competition's there too, especially Higginbothams and Landmark, but Crossword is looking at its own niche. ``The primary competition is the ignorance of the value books can give to people's lives.'' And the cycle starts.

By Feroze Ahmed

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Section  : Southern States
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