Four reasons why bookstores continue to rule our hearts

Books are a constant companion. They’ll be by your side on days you’re feeling sad, happy or a mixture of feelings you yourself are unable to comprehend. That’s not all, they’ll also hold your hand and take you to places you’ve never visited and introduce you to characters you think you’ve known your entire life.

They’ll give you happiness and then some more.

Though the tradition of reading is still unchanged even with the advent of ridiculously addictive TV shows, movies and the existence of the internet, the procurement of books as we know it, has however undergone a massive change.

Gone are the days when we used to look forward to our visits to the bookstore and come back home with our hearts and bags filled with new books. Now, everything you want is just a click away. Yes, even books.

The attractive discounts and our overwhelming laziness sometimes gets the best of us and we do end up ordering books from Flipkart or Amazon instead of visiting a Oxford or Crossword and buying it. The fact that our order comes free with bubble wrap packaging doesn’t help either!

But, all said and done, it’s time we accept that the joy of picking up books from a bookstore is unparalleled and no amount of ordering books from online websites can match up. Ever!

Here’s why:

1. When you go to a bookstore, you discover books, when you order them online, you just find them: You don’t plan what books you’re going to buy when you head out to a bookstore. It’s only after careful sifting through the array of books that you decide on your loot. And, one of the ways how you end up discovering authors that later end up being your favourite.

While ordering books online however, it’s not quite the same, is it? You make a list, see what’s on sale and just buy it. The process is so mechanical and dull!

2. The smell of books: Anyone who’s grown up visiting bookstores every weekend will tell you the highlight of those trips were the exercise of smelling the books on display. It’s hard to describe in words, but the musty smell stays with you forever. One whiff and your knees are weak. Smelling the books after you get your order delivered by an online website is just not the same! Firstly, they don’t smell the way they should. Secondly, they’ll put you off smelling books.

3. Afternoons by yourself at your favourite bookstore: Visits to the bookstore were always meant to be a long affair. You head in, look through books, make your pick, read some titles in the comfort of a sofa while sipping some excellent tea. These are the joys that online websites will never be able to provide!

4. No waiting required: You don’t have to wait to get your hands on the books when buying them from a bookstore, nor do you have to pay extra if you want it by your side in a day, unlike online websites. We’ll rest our case.