Saturday, I went to the Landmark bookstore at High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel, supposedly the biggest bookstore of them all. I had been there before but this time it was not a happy experience.
It was chaos all over. The music was not organized properly. Major rock bands were missing. After having a huge wall poster on Green Day the least you'd expect is to have their latest album prominently. It was completely missing.
I remember the days in Apex Plaza Landmark in Chennai where the staff used to be knowledgeable about the books and also were able to retrieve one you ask for immediately. Here it is a chaotic mess with books strewn around. The staff were not knowledgeable at all, relying on the database search.
In the DVD section, after noticing Season 7 of "Two and a Half Men" on the shelf, I wanted the earlier seasons. The counter staff immediately checked the database which showed that none of the "Two and a Half Men" DVDs were in stock. That, when I was holding the Season 7 in my hand!! Outdated database, messily stacked books, poorly organized music...Nothing good to write home about in High Street Phoenix LandMark.
The next day, Sunday, I went to the Landmark at Infinity Mall, Andheri. Yeah, I am a diehard Landmark fan. It was slightly better, though I have seen better days of it. The books were piled up, overflowing the shelves. The aisles had become narrow to accommodate other items like jewellery counter, handbags shelves etc. Still it looked better than its bigger cousin down at Lower Parel.
I feel that the Chennai (Apex Road, Citi Center & Spencer Plaza) and Bangalore (Forum Mall) stores still rock.
But certainly the current majority shareholder the Trent Group is diluting the Landmark brand. I guess they want to cater to the entire family, relatives of bookaholics who tag along and wish to have something they like to shop. I wish the founder Hemu Ramaiah had stuck to the original concept of a book and cards store staffed by people who knew and loved what they helped sell.
I have a feeling that I would be better off shopping at landmarkonthenet. So far I have bought two books online. The books came on time and I got good discounts too!
P.S: With all this effort last weekend I bought just one book, "It shouldn't happen to a vet" by James Herriot. An old book and if I my memory serves right, I had read the condesed version in Readers Digest. Anyway, it has joined my growing list of "Waiting to be read" section.
P.S 2: Logos are the rightful property of Landmark owners. Copyright acknowleged.
December 8, 2010
P.S.3. It has to happen. Yesterday I purchased a book online at landmarkonthenet.com. The amount got debited but the transaction got marked as invalid in the Landmark site. I could see no way to email them. Called the helpdesk and got an unhelpful reply that mistake is at Bank's end. I am at my wit's end.
