BENGALURU: Nagasri Book House, one of Bengaluru’s oldest independent bookstores, will close its doors for the final time this weekend. Opened in November 1976, the small, iconic store located in the Jayanagar Market complex has been a beloved institution for decades, especially among local residents. Founded by Venkatesh KV and Guruprasad, the store has been a favourite for its wide selection of fiction and non-fiction books in both Kannada and English.
Reflecting on the bookstore’s closure, Venkatesh said, “The only reason we are closing is our age. We are at the phase where we need to spend more time with our families. Neither of our children have any interest in continuing the business and we didn’t consider selling. It’s always good to end things on a strong, happy note, so we decided it’s time to stop.”
Despite initial struggles, the bookstore quickly became the go-to choice among some of the city’s well-known residents, including IIM professors, NIMHANS doctors, and prominent writers like SL Bhyrappa and Govinda Rao. Even celebrated playwright Girish Karnad was a regular visitor, continuing his visits up until a week before his passing. Additionally, Narayana Murthy and his family were known to frequent the store.
Currently, Nagasri Book House is running a clearance sale on its collection. English books are discounted by 50 per cent, while Kannada books are discounted by 30 per cent. The offer runs until the bookstore’s closure on June 8.
The announcement of the bookstore’s closure has prompted an outpouring of sentiment from patrons across the city. “Most of our regulars have said that they are heartbroken. It’s been very hard,” Guruprasad said.
On Friday, the store was thronged by many customers who had travelled from different parts of the city, following the news. One expressed disappointment, saying, “It’s sad that Bengaluru is losing yet another iconic bookstore.”