Some coffee, some ink, some passion

By Lakshmi Balakrishnan

NEW DELHI, Jan. 13. It's a far cry from the cluttered shelves of most book shops in the Capital. For an average book-lover it can be termed as dream study space. One that is complete with wooden paneling, fireplace, table, and, of course, a steaming cup of coffee.

Their number may be minuscule, but book shops across the city seem to be fast gearing up to face the challenge that the cyber era has put before the world of print. Just categorising and stacking the books on shelves won't do any more. Making the task of shopping for books -- or just browsing -- an enjoyable experience is what most book shop owners want to do now. But how, is the question.

While some are going for simple renovation by using sleek and bright racks, many have added CDs, cassettes, candles and even cafes to the existing premises to make a visit a wholesome experience. Not all such ventures may have received a positive response but the experiment continues nevertheless.

``We had introduced coffee as an experiment for a week in July last year. But the idea backfired, with people spilling coffee all over and books being damaged in the bargain,'' recalls Debashish Nandy, in charge of "Bookmark" at South Extension.

And while shopowners believe that Delhi's reading population is still not ready for cafe culture, book-lovers beg to differ. ``I think it is a great idea. For someone who does not get much time for book-hunting and prefers congested book stores to the Internet, a one-stop shop for books and other knick-knacks is a welcome change,'' says Shyama, a regular at "Full Circle" in Khan Market.

But irrespective of what the public might want, there are quite a few shops that would rather go the traditional way. Galgotia & Sons in Connaught Circus is one such. Set up way back in 1933, the only new addition to this store are a bunch of educational CDs. And if what Mr. R. K. Galgotia, the shopowner, has to say is anything to go by, then even these were added following repeated requests from regular customers.

``We have not made any changes at our shop and do not deem it necessary for increasing our clientele,'' says Mr. Galgotia. Though most shopowners accept that being customer-friendly is fast becoming the magic mantra, space constraints act as a hiccup in many a case.

While the addition of accessories has been a hit at most stores, cafe culture is yet to gain popularity with the masses. The Turtle cafe run by Full Circle, for example, is clearly aimed at an elite clientele.

But not every store is falling for the commercial game. Tucked away in the posh South Extension is "Timeless Art Book Studio" that sells only art-related books. Managed by the publisher, Mr. Ravi Sabharwal, the studio has a study table and serves coffee to all visiting customers without charging a penny. But then, he never did visualise his ``creation of passion'' as a commercial venture. ``I always knew it would find its own level among discerning book lovers or collectors.''

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