Located in Goregaon, a 35-year-old bookstore which was established in 1989 is now being helmed by its Gen Z heir who is employing lucrative techniques to expand the growth of his already successful and popular bookstore
This tech-savvy bookseller releases key updates like the availability of new books, on Instagram from time to time.
On a quiet afternoon in one of the bylanes of Goregaon West, this writer spots a cluttered yet evolving bookstore. Before she finds herself surrounded by tightly stacked books, she is welcomed by a wide variety of comic books that instantly transport her to her childhood days. Needless to say, the writer finds herself already developing an affinity towards the store.
The 25-year-old owner of the store, Deepak Jain greets her with a modest smile, open to sharing the story of how his bookstore, which he is so proud of, came to be.
Established in 1989, the Padmavati Bookstore is the brainchild of Deepak’s 52-year-old father, Punjilal Jain. Originally from the state of Rajasthan, Jain first set foot in Mumbai to earn a living at the age of 25, like millions of others in the city.
What was first a magazine and scrap store was later converted into a full-fledged magazine and bookstore. Jain observed that there was a great demand for magazines and books. Banking on this, they began selling novels and earned profits in no time.
Lucrative options to attract customers
The store which was earlier run by Jain is now being operated by his son. Belonging to the new generation with a bachelor’s degree in management studies, this Gen Z has employed a number of techniques to keep his customers coming back to him. To his great benefit, these strategies seem to be working well for him.
One of the services offered at Padmavati Bookstore that makes it stand out from the rest is its family library membership package. Deepak offers a month’s library package to his customers at Rs 600. Under this, customers can take home unlimited books. Deepak allows an extension period of over 40-45 days to return the books. Those signing up for the first time have to pay a fully refundable one-time deposit of Rs 750.
Besides this, customers who don’t wish to subscribe to this library plan can also take books on rent and return them when done reading. At Padmavati Bookstore, you can buy both, second-hand books as well as fresh copies. The price of second-hand books starts from Rs 50 and goes up Rs 500/1000 depending on the kind of book, author and demand.
Other than novels and comic books, you can also buy mythology and children’s books from the store.
Due to these creative strategies, this bookstore receives over 30-40 customers daily, especially in times when most bookstores in Mumbai are battling to keep their stores alive.
Relevance of location
Although the store has existed in Goregaon since its inception, it shifted to a new location five years back. The store now nestles amidst a residential area. According to Deepak, setting up a store in a residential area, which houses a reading community, greatly helps.
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