A landmark Chennai’s book lovers will miss

Launched 27 years ago in December 1987, Landmark was the first corner bookstore to be established in Chennai. Photo: V. Ganesan

Landmark, the iconic bookstore in Nungambakkam, seems set to down shutters soon.

While a senior representative of the store was unable to say when and where the bookstore would shift to, he did confirm that the quaint shop, tucked in the basement of Apex mall, is likely to close.

Launched 27 years ago in December 1987 by Hemu Ramaiah, Landmark was arguably the first corner bookstore to be established in the city.

The concept of a bookstore not stopping at just books but also offering greeting cards, music and movies was novel at the time. The franchise became a pioneer in book retailing across the country.

From one store in Nungambakkam, it grew in numbers by the time the Tata enterprise Trent picked up 100 per cent stake in Landmark in 2008.

The branch in Spencer Plaza opened in 2001. However, for many Chennaiites, the pride of place was reserved for the Nungambakkam branch and over decades, customers formed a deep bond with the flagship store.

It was one of the few book shops where patrons were allowed to browse through books at their own leisure by staff. Today, the city’s readers may not be left wanting with books being just a click away.

However, for an entire generation, the news of the imminent closing of Landmark on Nungambakkam High Road is bound to evoke strong nostalgia.