Kunzum books: Rethinking bookstores

A Cultural Hub

Bookstores can thrive two ways. One, they are located in retail areas with high footfall like malls and markets like Khan Market. People then just walk in, browse, and buy. Space permitting, the addition of a café boosts revenues and offsets all or more of the operating costs. But these options are limited, considering high rentals – unless you are a legacy store owning the property.

Alternately, you focus on the experience so you become a destination in itself, like we do at Kunzum. We are positioning Kunzum as a cultural hub, and not just a literary one. While other bookstores offer toys, stationery and food and beverages, we offer events. To attract guests from all walks of life, and to catalyse the promotion of art and culture. And build communities around things that bring joy. Like books, all such events are also forms of storytelling and thus complement each other.

Curation plays a key role too. We want customers to discover upcoming authors and unexpected titles besides the usual bestsellers. By not just stocking a wide range, but also making the browsing experience a delight through store design. There is an ocean of quality books that can only be discovered through patient browsing of shelves. Over a cup of coffee or tea.

Collaborations and Partnerships

Partnerships with schools and corporates – where we set up book fairs, gifting programs, libraries etc. can be a service online markets cannot offer. And you cannot meet authors, editors and designers online – only bookstores with event spaces can work here.

Sanctuaries for People

I can feel a certain level of digital fatigue setting in people. This may be the beginning of a shift to real world experiences and in-person interactions. That is when bookstores will once again become sanctuaries for people.

Ajay Jain is a writer and a photographer. Kunzum Travel Cafe came up in 2010 in Hauz Khas Village as a gallery for his photography and books and a gathering place for travelers. Close towards the end of the pandemic, Ajay decided to pivot and turn Kunzum into a boutique chain of bookstores, retaining the unique vibe and community feel of the original Kunzum Travel Cafe. The flagship store in GK2 started with one floor, but soon expanded to four. It hosts between 70-100 events a month around books, music, theatre, art, films, and more.