Locals’ Guide to Mumbai’s Private Bookstores
Mumbai is a fascinating city with many tourist attractions. A recent addition to Mumbai’s cultural scene is the flourishing of private bookstores, which are popping up all over the city! These stores offer an intimate experience for readers and collectors alike. If you’re visiting Mumbai soon, or if you already live here, this guide will help you find your new favorite bookstore.
Kitab Khana
Kitab Khana is a bookstore that specializes in rare books. A visit here will be like browsing through the stacks of an old library, but with plenty of modern touches such as wifi and air conditioning! Kitab Khana’s staff can help you find any book on your list (or specialize in finding rarities for collectors). A few minutes away from Mumbai University, this store offers many English titles to students looking to expand their knowledge while they study abroad.
Granthabali
Granthabali is Mumbai’s oldest bookstore. A great place to find any Indian title, this store has a long history of being an important cultural hub for literature in the city. A visit here will not disappoint! Granthabali offers books from all across India and they know their inventory well enough that you’ll be able to ask them about anything on your list without hesitation. Their staff can help you translate titles into English if necessary (or Hindi). They also have maps, calendars, greeting cards, journals and more available!
Leaping Windows Books
Leaping Windows Books is a bookstore with an emphasis on art. A very large shop, this store has two floors for browsing. The top floor features paintings and sculptures as well as photography books while the bottom floor offers fiction in English (including classics) and Hindi! This location also carries magazines from around the world – perfect if you’re looking to pick up a copy of Vogue or Vanity Fair before heading home after your trip abroad. A visit here will be a sensory delight for those who love art!
The New & Second Hand Book Shop
The New & Second Hand Book Shop is a Mumbai staple. A well-loved bookstore, this place has been around for decades and offers many rare books from across India and the world. A great destination if you’re looking to find something unique or read in your native language – they offer English titles as well!
Title Waves
Title Waves is a bookstore that tries to offer something for everyone. A visit here will be like exploring an eclectic mix of books from all across the world and genres – you’ll find popular titles mixed in with more obscure ones! A perfect place if you’re looking to expand your reading horizons, or just want to browse while getting some fresh air on Mumbai’s busy streets.
Strand Book Stall
Strand Book Stall is a store that offers old and new books at great prices. A place to browse any time of day, this bookstore has many children’s titles as well – perfect for those visiting Mumbai with their kids! A trip here will be like revisiting the classics or discovering your new favorite author (or both!).
Wayword & Wise Books
Wayword & Wise Books is a bookstore with an emphasis on books related to travel and India. A great destination for those looking for stories about the country, this store has many books in English as well! A visit here will be like browsing through your favorite guidebook – you’ll find maps, language guides, fiction and non-fiction alike.
Sterling Book House
Sterling Book House is a bookstore where you can find any and every book on your list. A visit to this store will be like browsing through the stacks of an old library, but with plenty of modern touches such as wifi! A great place for students studying abroad who want to pick up books from their own culture while they study here – Sterling offers English titles (as well as Indian).
