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Chennai is a versatile city with a history of bookshops. It has some famous and ancient book libraries that book lovers love exploring. Here, Things2Do recommends the best seven book spots you can visit with your bookish friends in Chennai.
1Higginbotham
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This is a historic book spot, not just for the people living in Chennai but for every book lover who calls himself a ‘nerd’. It’s Chennai’s oldest and most historic bookstore. This beautiful place was established more than a century ago, in 1844.
People love this iconic place for its extravagant collection of English text. Apart from this, different Japanese literature is also available here. It offers a decent space and a calm environment that helps book lovers like you maintain focus. From technology to history, Higginbotham has it all.
Their wide collections of fiction and non-fiction put them in the category of a complete package. In short, you cannot miss visiting this peaceful spot if you love books more than anything.
Time – 9:30 am to 7:00 pm
📍 LIC Building, 116, opp. to LIC near REGIONAL PASSPORT OFFICE, Anna Salai, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600002
2Odyssey
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Odyssey counts as another popular choice for book lovers in Chennai. This wonderful place has almost all the latest book collections for people who like to read their favourite authors right after they become available across offline channels. It also provides a good customer-centric experience.
The ambience is calm, with a wide variety of genres. It’s not just a place to explore good books; you can also purchase great stationery, gifts, and indoor decorations for yourself and your loved ones.
If you like to shop for cool stationery and books, Odyssey is the perfect destination.
Time – 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
📍 No. 45 & 47, 1st Main Rd, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600020
3Tara Books
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Tara Books is a creative place, full of artwork and aesthetics. It offers an amalgamation of books and art, which is quite a beautiful combination. The architecture of this generous space fills your heart with serenity.
At Tara Books, the staff is humble enough to give you a fulfilling tour. This bookstore is famous for organizing several workshops now and then, especially on ‘bookbinding’. This space is a pleasant home to art, which is reflected precisely in their books, stationery items, and the building. Many art enthusiasts call it a gallery rather than a mere bookstore.
This cute spot of books favors the folk art of rural artists. Here, books are available in many local and international languages too. If you prefer living in the world of art and books, Tara Books is for you.
Time – 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
📍 Book Building Plot No. 9, Off Kuppam Beach Road, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai – 600041 near Kuppam Beach Road, Cge Colony
4Crossword
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Crossword is one of the most popular bookstores and has stores in almost every major city across India. It has a playful vibe with clean surroundings. Here, you can find the latest fictional and non-fictional books. Sometimes, authors sign copies of their books too, and you never know if you can be that lucky person to get a signed copy.
This store compels bookworms of every age group to dive into their imaginary world composed of words and wisdom. It’s a paradise of paper bags and hardcovers. From John Green to Ruskin Bond, it has every type of book to satisfy your wish list. Be careful visiting this place because you may purchase cool books by ignoring your long TBR lists.
Time – 11:00 am to 9:00 pm
📍 No 142, Palladium Mall, Lower Ground, Velachery Main Road, Velacheri, Chennai – 600042 (Indira Gandhi Nagar)
5Starmark
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StarMark has a warm vibe for book enthusiasts. It has every genre you can think of. The collections include Indian, literary, and historical fiction, along with Agatha Christie’s perfect thrillers. Here, you can find a special section for classics to give you the adrenaline rush you need.
The store has books for all age groups, from children to adults. Children can have a lovely time looking at the eye-catching covers of comics. There is an isolated space for children. Parents love to take their munchkins to this cosy world of books and gifts.
Time – 10:30 am to 9:15 pm (Monday – Saturday)
10:30 am to 10:00 pm (Sunday)
📍 C/O Express Avenue Mall No 17, 2Nd Floor, Pattullos Road, Thousand Lights, Chennai – 600006 (Express Estate)
6Moore Market
Moore Market is the perfect place to buy affordable, second-hand books if you don’t like spending all your money on new books. This market is popular, specifically for bookshops. People can bargain in front of the shopkeepers.
Most of the time, you may get massive discounts on your total bulk order. It’s advisable to visit Moore Market when you are not busy because it can take a long time to search for your favourite authors and collections. This remains crowded due to its popularity and affordable prices.
If you want to visit this place to enjoy heavy discounts, try to prepare a list of all the books you need in advance. It can be even better if your friends become equal companions in this venture. In this case, you can get books at pocket-friendly price ranges.
Time – 9:30 am to 12:00 am
📍 No 3, Elephant Gate Street, Kannappar Thidal, Chennai – 600003 (Periyamet)
7Discovery Book Palace
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This is a vibrant palace of books with numerous literature-based collections. Here, you won’t have difficulty searching for Tamil books either. It provides a clean atmosphere and is not fancy at all. It has a simple ambience to offer. At Discovery Book Palace, the staff is quite friendly.
After visiting this place and going through different sections of the bookstore, you may be surprised to see the love and affection it has for their language, Tamil. You can easily find many mainstream books translated into Tamil, including Rumi. Yes, you read it right! You can also find a small cafeteria to satisfy your hunger and refresh yourself with good coffee.
To spend a productive day with boom lovers, you can visit Discovery Book Palace.
Time – 10:00 am to 9:00 pm (Monday–Saturday)
10:00 am to 8:30 pm (Sunday)
📍 No 1055B, Munusamy Salai, K K Nagar West, Chennai – 600078 (Opposite Bharat Petrol)
Chennai offers many cute book spots for art enthusiasts and book nerds. If you’re one of these individuals, you may want to explore them.
We make sure to constantly update you about every new place in and around Chennai so make sure to follow @things2doinchennai on Instagram.
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