“A smoke, a book, a cup of coffee. These are the little things that get us through this sometimes weary world and all the rainy days.”
– R M Engelhardt
Delhi’s iconic bookstore Bahrisons has collaborated with Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters to bring the luxury of peace and quiet reading to the residents of Chandigarh.
Bahrisons has carved a niche for itself in the bookstore space with the perfect ambiance for leafing through stacks of books and engaging in literary banter with bibliophiles. The bookstore is reputed for its attention to detail and for its ability to source any book for its customers, no matter how rare or obscure. The aromatic blends of Blue Tokai premium coffees are set to further enhance the creative boost of ideas, inspiration, and stories.
Tapping into the bureaucratic demographic
The Bahrisons store in Sector 8 Chandigarh is spread over a 4000 square feet area, with 2600 square feet for the book display and another 1500 square feet for storage. It will house a rich and distinctive collection of luxury, architecture, design, fashion, art, and travel apart from literary chart-topping fiction and non-fiction including historical writing, wildlife conservation, politics, and biographies. The store has a dedicated area for children’s and young adult literature, as the owners hold a firm belief that the reading habit must be inculcated in readers from a young age. The café-cum-bookstore will also be home to an extensive dine-in menu, home-brewing equipment, and a wide range of beverages.
Anuj Bahri Malhotra, CEO, Bahrisons Booksellers shared in an exclusive interaction with Indian Printer & Publisher, “Greater Chandigarh is a combination of five cities – Mohali, New Chandigarh, Zirakpur, Gorakhpur and Panchkula. It has a huge bureaucratic demographic with a huge prevalence of good reading habits among its settlers. This is why we zeroed in on Chandigarh to expand the Bahri legacy.”
Bahrisons Chandigarh has already started hosting book signings and author interactions. Manan Kapoor, author of A Map of Longings: Life and Works of Agha Shahid Ali; Rahul Pandita, author of Our Moon Has Blood Clots; author and journalist Barkha Dutt; author and historian Aanchal Malhotra; and Arjun Singh Kadian, author of Land of the Gods: The Story of Haryana have visited the store to promote their work.
Shivam Shahi, co-founder and COO, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters said in a press release dated March 2022, “Over the years, we’ve seen a growing trend for good quality coffee amongst home-brewing enthusiasts in Chandigarh, and it was only natural for us to translate this experience to out-of-home formats as well. With the launch of our first on-ground outlet here, we are excited to cater to a larger number of customers and further nurture and elevate Chandigarh’s coffee culture.”
“I am overjoyed to bring our humble collection of literature and learning to this beautiful city. Our long-standing partnership with Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters is a reflection of India’s love for coffee and books, and we are very excited to bring this experience to Chandigarh. This café-cum-bookstore is a perfect spot for the creative community of Chandigarh and with our varied book collection, I hope we can enrich the shelves of personal libraries across the city,” Bahri exclaims.
The Bahrisons café-cum-bookstore is located at SCO 14-15, Ground Floor, Madhya Marg (Near Apollo Clinic), Sector 8C. The cafe will be operational from 8:00 am -10:00 pm and the bookstore from 10:30 am – 8:30 pm on all days.
