Exploring a curated bookstore is, according to me, one of the finest pleasures in the world. I have been a bookworm since time immemorial. Visiting bookstores has always been a sort of pilgrimage for me. Many times, I would get irritated at many bookstores where the people manning them would have no clue about the books they are selling. I know this may sound entitled, but I believe subject knowledge is paramount for excelling in any job, vocation, or trade.
Modern Book Centre (MBC) needs no introduction to the readers of Trivandrum. Arguably one of the best indie bookstores in Kerala, this legacy bookstore has been serving as a haven for bookworms for more than four decades.
So, what makes this bookstore I have been raving about unique?
- Is it their mammoth collection of books?
- Their exceptional service?
- Their values?
- Curated collection?
Apart from all these, I think the sheer product knowledge of the team sets this store on a different pedestal.
I have been a loyal customer of MBC for more than a decade, and it’s without an iota of doubt that I can vouch MBC turned me into a discerning and insightful reader.
Reiterating the aforementioned point, the aspect that sets MBC apart is that it is run by voracious readers.
My journey as a reader started with fiction, like most people, traversing from comics to classics to literary fiction and to non-fiction. I really should especially extend my gratitude to Anoop NE of MBC for playing a significant part in shaping my literary journey. He was the person who suggested many groundbreaking books in the genres of behavioral economics & smart thinking, which helped in widening my horizons.
Anoop is a second-generation entrepreneur now helming MBC, established by his father Shri Balakesavan NE. Anoop, an MBA Graduate by education, has the knack for suggesting bestsellers before they become bestsellers. To my surprise, this trait is exhibited throughout the leadership team of MBC. It was Anoop who suggested “Time Shelter” by Georgi Gospodinov to me much before it bagged the Booker Prize.
Another strong edge of MBC would be its vast repository of very rare books. Many times, Anoop and the team at MBC have gone to great lengths to source very rare books and have them imported from abroad at my request.
And by a quirk of fate, many years later, I was fortunate enough to share a leadership position with Anoop in BNI, wherein I could closely work with him and see how the assimilated wealth of knowledge and prudence over the years was put to good use in handling many complicated situations.
As a practicing Company Secretary & Consultant to corporates on matters pertaining to Corporate Laws, I strongly believe that whatever vocation you engage in, domain expertise is a strong differentiator you can project amidst your competition. The domain expertise or product knowledge, along with excellent service to your customers, is a potent combination for attaining the pinnacles in your trade, and I can safely say MBC is right on top of their game.
In an increasingly digital world, where almost all tasks can be automated and where the attention span of our generation is plummeting at an alarming level, the need to reinvigorate the reading of physical books and the thriving of indie bookstores cannot be downplayed.
Wishing Anoop and MBC all the success, I sincerely hope many more of your ilk prosper.
PS: This blog post is in no way sponsored by MBC or Anoop, though I fervently wish they would generously compensate me.