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74 Years of Used Books Sale @ Kottayam

October 7, 2017

74 Years of Used Books Sale @ Kottayam:

Meet Shri E.M. Muhammad Basheer of Kottayam, whose family has been in the business of used books’ sale for the past 74 years!

His father, Haji K.V. Muhammad Kutti, started the business when we was merely 12 years old. As Malayalees have always loved books, the business has never let the family down. Two generations have thus lived a life of dignity.

If you have not yet noticed the couple of shops at Kottayam that sell used books, you must be very new to the town. While Shri Basheer‘s shop is located near the central junction (on the YMCA Road), there are a few more at Kottayam.

Here’s their locations:

Three shops on the Green Park Road (aka Kurian Uthup Road), close to Nagampadam Municipal Ground (relocated from the spot opposite to the Nagampadam Private Bus Stand)
One shop on Sastri Road, beside the main bus stop close to Baker Junction
Shri Basheer’s shop on YMCA Road (beside Kalyan Jewellers, close to Central Junction)

So, what kind of books do these shops sell?

You’ll be amazed to see their collection! While their main stock is to cater for students in professional education, they have decent volumes in other categories as well – like fiction, non-fiction, self-help books, cookery, comics etc. The shop on Sastri Road sells even popular Malayalam/English periodicals (like Vanitha, Star & Style, Nana film weekly, kids’ magazines)

What’s their business model? Can I sell books to them? What are the rates?

Yes, you can sell used books to these folks. They will pay one-fourth of the actual price of the book, if it’s in a reasonably good shape.
If you are a buyer, they will charge you half the price of the book. If the book is in bad shape, the rate will be lesser.
They would buy any used book if it has market value.

Shop timings? Open on all days of the week?

The three shops on Green Park Road are open between 7 AM and 7 PM, on all days of the week, including Sunday. Holidays give them good business as Students make their main customer base.
Basheer’s Shop on the YMCA Road is open between 9 AM and 7 PM. Sunday is a holiday for this shop.
The single shop on Sastri Road remains open from 10 AM to 6 PM. Sunday is a holiday.

How easy is it to search the stock, and find what one needs?

Very easy. The whole stock is arranged neatly, category-wise. Most of the shop-keepers are well-educated, with good knowledge of the various professional courses, syllabus, authors and the like. If you know exactly what you’re looking for, you wouldn’t have a problem at all!