Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you selected. Nov 15, 2015 the bookstore on mount road offers close to 5,000 titles at a 60 per cent discount. Have visited this store several times especially whenever the required book titlesauthors were not available in near by stores. There are also some books on photography and comics. It was here on mount road that in 1844, abel joshua higginbotham found spare office space and established higginbothams, which is today indias oldest bookstore. The mantle of the oldest book store in the country belongs to higginbothams book shop, in madras. Founded in 1844 thats right, the bookstore is 176 years old. Nov 17, 2011 a stroll down mount road is valuable to anybody interested in architecture, and urbanisation, because of the sheer number of buildings in architectural styles ranging from indo islamic thousand lights mosque to victoriangothic higginbothams book store and indo saracenic bharat insurance, that take us down the path of the history and evolution of the city. In 1891, abel higginbotham died, leaving his son c. The palladian style building on swank south parade opened its doors to eager readers in 1905. What started as a small bookstore on mount road in madras has been a. Opened since 1844, it started off as a religious bookstore and eventually grew to house books across genres and fields. One of the oldest book store, in chennai, mount road, opposite to lic building.
Located on mount road in chennai and mg road in bengaluru, the stores have been visited by millions of customers over the years. How indias oldest bookstore chain, the 174year old higginbothams. The historic higginbothams on mg road bangalore fottams. Travel guides apps cruises greenleaders road trips tripadvisor. Higginbothams is the indias oldest book store located at mount road, chennai. The englishman was then appointed sherriff of madras in 1888 and 1889 while messrs. Visit higginbothams bookstore in mount road lbb, chennai. Higginbothams final building building engineering free. Higginbothams chennai 2020 what to know before you go. I have fond childhood memories of the store opposite to lic building, which was their head office, where often my father used to take me in the 1980s. Perhaps the oldest bookstore in bangalore, it has been around since the days of the british raj.
Beautiful old historic bookstore, perhaps one of the oldest in india. Under the leadership of ch higginbotham, the bookstore moved into a new building on mount road, specially designed with a high, sloping. With landmark getting popular and turning out to be a onestop destination for books, movies, music and giftarticles higginbothams has lost its. It is also the cultural and religious heart in many ways. After his son took over, the bookshop shifted to where it is now, on mount road. Higginbothams, indias oldestknown bookstore, began as a religious bookstore in 1844. This book store was opened in 1844 during british rule and has a lot of history associated to it.
One can get any book right from history, religion, science, engineering, etc, etc titles. Set up in 1844 by a british stowaway, higginbothams chennais storefront has been around long enough to be considered indias oldest surviving bookstore. Established by abel joshua higginbothams in 1844, higginbothams is indias oldest book store with a retail presence in high street. Higginbothams opened its first bookstore in bangalore at m. Higginbothams on mount road is, in fact, the first bookstore by the company. Bang opposite the lic building, the book store is a treasure house for old and new books of all categories. Heavy oak doors, whitewashed brick walls and stained painted glass on the windows have been standing right there as other buildings around it have come and gone. Higginbothams, the oldest bookshop in the home of flipkart. Front view of higginbothams book shop at anna salai mount. Another store was opened in bangalore and higginbothams bookstalls were set up in stations. Higginbotham bought it in 1844, set up his book shop on mount road, madras and named it after himself. One of indias oldest and most iconic bookstores, higginbothams in mount road is still killing it. Same high im kidding service standards as the flagship store on mount road.
In fact, if its adjacent books godown standing on a plinth of more than two acres is taken into. It was started in 1844 in chennai by abel joshua higginbotham and later moved to mount road. Higginbothams was contracted to manage the southern indian railway bookstalls in the region. Back in the day, south parade now mg road was the place to see and be seen. Visit higginbothams book store on your trip to chennai or india. Higginbothams chennai 2020 what to know before you go with. A new bookstore was also established at a prime location in the bangalore cantonment. The store was located in a twostorey graecoromanstyle building constructed in 1897. G nivedita d ranjani t sindhu swetha higginbothams pvt. Higginbothams pvt ltd in mount road, chennai is one of the leading businesses in the book shops with 101 photos. Except old timers, the younger generation of indians may not be aware that the book shop is an historical one and has the reputation of being indias oldest bookshop in exi. Higginbothams p ltd, commercial road, ooty, tamil nadu established in 1844 higginbothams bookstore in mount road, madras chennai is indias oldest bookstore thats still open. What started as a small bookstore on mount road in madras has been a haven for book lovers for over 170 years. Higginbothams pvt ltd, mount road book shops in chennai.
How indias oldest bookstore chain, the 174year old. It was named after abel joshua higginbotham, a captain who was ejected, from the madras port, later found an employment as a librarian, where the library was running in loss. In short, with its wide range of the latest periodicals and books, its productive printing press, and its regional reach, higginbothams became an. It is opposite the lic building, chennais first 10 storeyed building. A remarkable white building located on mount road, the store has a history that is just about as charming as its presence itself. Higginbotham s architectural design architectural elements. An initiative 3 in1844, was able to afford the shop in a distress sale, and named it higginbotham. See 4 photos and 2 tips from 70 visitors to higginbothams. Before i go into the history and other aspects of the bookstore itself, i shall talk about mount road, to show why. In 1904, as the store completed 60 years, it moved to its present impressive premises on mount road.
Anantharamakrishnan of the amalgamations group took over the bookstore from the higginbothams family. From 1890 to 1920, higginbotham s was the sole supplier of books to the connemara public library. Discover the best places and brands for book stores in chennai. Aug 20, 2015 the higginbotham s is an indian company of book sellers and publishers whose head office is in chennai city, the main bookstore being located on mount road, chennai. The companys first bookstore at mount road, chennai is indias oldest. Nov 08, 2017 it depend on the type of books that you need. The companys first bookstore at mount road, chennai is indias oldest bookshop in existence. Aug 31, 2017 in 1891, abel higginbotham died, leaving his son c. Having the reputation of being the oldest bookstore in existence. The buildings heritage structure also adds to the experience giving major art deco era feels. Anantharamakrishnan of the amalgamations group took over the bookstore. Under the leadership of ch higginbotham, the bookstore moved into a new building on mount road, specially designed with a high, sloping ceiling and few windows in order to keep all the books. Higginbothams, the oldest bookshop in the home of flipkart, gets a.
Higginbothams located at annasalai, the main arterial road of chennai is indias oldest bookstore. Higginbothams chennai madras 2020 all you need to know. Higginbothams private limited in mount road, chennai 8 people. Higginbothams, indias oldestknown bookstore, began as a religious. Higginbothams private limited book store, mount road. Higginbothams is an indian bookstore chain and publisher based in the city of chennai. Best book stores in chennai expert recommended top 3 book stores in chennai, tamil nadu. Indias oldest bookstore, higginbotham s, is located in the hub of the city in its colonial building on anna salai. This book store is still operated at the same place and it is one of the oldest landmark of madrasmadras was renamed to chennai. Nov 15, 2011 here, the high white arches and wooden railings hold portraits of two men with beards and enigmatic smiles. Higginbothams private limited in mount road, chennai. Feb 27, 2017 the higginbothams store in chennai in 2010.
In february 2017, higginbothams will be relaunching the fully. The historic higginbothams ltd bookstore on mg road, bangalore. Hbl is housed in a building that has been around since way back in 1897, when bangalore was a small cantonment under the british and the road was called south parade. The companys second bookstore in bangalore, located at m. Higginbothams book store on mount road is the first and oldest existing book shop in india which was started in 1844 spencer plaza is the oldest shopping mall in india. For the school books directorate of public instruction campus dpi you can directly approach this govt office. This is the oldest bookstore in existence in the city. Higginbothams private limited book store, mount road, chennai.