What you see - Books, coffee and a soothing ambience. Sounds blissful already? Well, that’s what you can find at Crossword. Tranquil on the weekdays and full of life on the weekends, this store has a lot to offer. From a massive collection of books and imported stationery items to even toys, VCDs and DVDs…it’s all here. Apart from that, you have a fabulous collection of clothes for kids and would-be mothers, courtesy Mothercare (Crossword and Mothercare belong to Shoppers’ Stop Ltd in India…that’s why they share the same space). And what’s more? If you need a cuppa to rejuvenate yourself, the 30-seater coffee shop – Brio – is in the same store.
Unlike other book stores, Crossword allows unrestricted browsing with ample seating facility. Agreed that some stores do allow you to spend time browsing through the books but most of them don’t have seating facility. Crossword does and therefore gets a pat on the back for that. So all you have to do is sit comfortably, read what you like and then put the books back in the stacks if they don’t interest you.
You’ll also realize that there are no sales personnel buzzing around you here. Thank God for that! After all you don’t need them here either. Nobody needs to convince you to buy a good book, nor does anyone need to really guide you in this store. That’s because everything is well-placed here and therefore easy to locate. In fact, there are three executives at the cash counter, so that you don’t have to wait in long queues for hours. That’s what we call empathizing with customers!
What you get - The books are segmented author-wise and subject-wise. These include books on travel, business and management, food and drink, self-improvement, biographies and Indian fiction. They also have another segment called ‘Bargains’ where you have two novels bound together, available at the price of one. These include books authored by Jeffrey Archer, John Grisham and many more.
Another exclusive feature of this store is the extensive collection of books for kids. This takes up almost half the store space. They have been segmented under Young India, Young fiction, Fairy tales and Fables, Pre-School and Toddlers.
Kids have more for them in this store, probably because Mothercare and Crossword are located seamlessly. So you can actually browse through the books and walk into Mothercare without even realizing the fact. Here you have a collection of casuals for kids up to 10 years of age apart from clothing and lingerie for would-be mothers. The average prices for the clothes for 1-2 year olds are not less than Rs. 500 here. There are also bathing accessories for mother and child here.
Coming to other aspects which an avid reader would be more interested in, Crossword has a lifetime membership package for Rs. 150. Once you become a member, for every purchase of Rs. 40, you earn points that help you garner discounts on future purchases. Other benefits include free home delivery of books (otherwise you have to pay Rs. 20) which you can order over the phone. You will also be invited for discussions and reading sessions where you can get an opportunity to rub shoulders with guests like Javed Akhtar.
Our verdict – Well, this is a must visit bookstore for booklovers. In fact, it certainly has the ability to turn non readers into readers. So, go ahead and get a taste of a pleasurable reading experience.
Anytime between - 11 AM – 9 PM (Weekdays)
11 AM – 9.30 PM (Weekends)
Posted on: Apr 24, 2007
