Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Odyssey Bookstore sutting shop?

In just more than a year, the bookstore chain Odyssey, is all set to shut shop. The location of the store is Anwar Shah Road, opposite Navina Cinema Hall. The books/cds/toys went on sale some 6 months back and seeing that the sale never lifted, I was wondering whats wrong. Seems they cannot sustain the business model.
South Calcutta has an Oxford Bookstore near Deshapriya Park, a Starmark at South City Mall, and a Crossword inside Shoppers Stop at the same mall. Gariahat footpaths are a booklovers haunt with plenty of second hand book/magazine stalls. Starmark at least seems to be doing whopping good business, but that may be due to the sheer strength of location. All the head honchos of the bookstore chains agree that location is of prime importance. Maybe Odyssey should have been inside South City mall, it would have given good competition to Starmark. Or a location like Park Street would ensure footfall and spending customers.
The biggest sadness is this is one shop where the employees and custpmer service was really impeccable. I used to take my 2 year old child, have been doing so since the shop opened, and not once did I have a problem with her pulling things down or sitting in toy cars. The shop floor assistants would happily take care of her and even give her rounds on the toys she loved best. I have to say Ive bought more than enough books after the sale came on. I will miss Odyssey.

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