|
| |
C
R O S S W O R D: A Profile |
IIn
India, shopping for books has always been thought of as
a book-lover's hobby. The traditional bookstores, with their
dreary, dusty and browser-unfriendly atmosphere, have discouraged
all but the serious book-buyers.
|
Crossword,
positioned as a lifestyle bookstore, has been able to change
this by designing large, spacious, well laid out stores,
with bright cheerful interiors that encourage people to
stay and browse. Simple innovations such as methodical classifications,
clear signage, a dedicated enquiry /orders desk, electronic
POS and inventory control systems and attractive displays
make looking for books a much more pleasurable experience.
A welcoming café, reading tables and chairs and toilets
within the store, (some of the innovations pioneered by
Crossword in India) help to ensure that customers are able
to browse in comfort for several hours without having to
leave.
|
While
we do crossword puzzles for fun, they are also a learning
experience. The name Crossword was therefore chosen to reflect
the dual fun and learning experience of a visit to Crossword.
The name embodies our vision of Crossword as a place and
space for people who seek information, knowledge or just
the pleasure of reading.
|
Crossword
also addresses a wider audience than existing stores with
its unique product mix. There is of course, the widest range
of books for the young and old alike, along with magazines,
CD-ROMs, music, stationery and toys. With its large children's
section and its focus on making the store a friendly, safe,
fun-filled place, Crossword attracts many families who normally
don't think of visiting bookstores. Services like Dial-a-book,
Fax-a-book and Email-a-book enable customers to shop from
their homes; and when they come to the store, the unobtrusively
helpful staffs assist them in finding the right book, the
right CD or the right gift for the right occasion. Facilities
like the Crossword Gift Vouchers, the friendly 'Return,
Exchange & Refunds' policy, the Cafes within the stores
and the unique store experience make it easy and enjoyable
for customers to shop at Crossword. Over 1,00,000 loyal
customers are rewarded through the Crossword Book Rewards
Program with points, discounts, promotional offers and
more. 'eWords', a monthly e-newsletter with reviews of new
books, news about in store events and bestseller lists,
is currently mailed to these Members.
|
Crossword
as a center for the community
|
Crossword
aims to be a point of cultural and social interaction where
authors and poets hold court, where children are regaled,
where people gravitate to be informed, to be entertained,
even enlightened. There are regular readings, discussions
and debates on varied subjects from literature and art to
child sexual abuse, war and peace, business and management,
travel, parenting and health.
Among the numerous writers who have visited the store are
Sir V S Naipaul, Arundhati Roy, Vikram Chandra, Vikram Seth,
Kiran Nagarkar, Andrew Motion, Michele Roberts, Shashi Tharoor,
Shobhaa De, Charles Handy, Ricardo Semler and Jack Canfield.
Promotional events include pictionary contests, quizzes,
slide shows and the annual affair with Santa and his elves.
Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull came for a signing, so did Macho
Man Randy Savage, the WWF champion.
|
Promoting
books, writers and the reading habit
|
Crossword
launched the Crossword Book Award in 1998 to recognise and
reward the best of Indian writing. There was one cash prize
of Rs 200,000 in 1998 for the best original work of fiction
in English by an Indian author, and it was won by Allan
Sealy for The Everest Hotel.
In 1999
we added a new category: Indian Language Fiction Translation
into English and we also increased the cash prize to Rs.300,000
for each category. The 1999 prize for the best work in English
Fiction went to Vikram Seth for An Equal Music. The prize
for the best work in the Indian Language Fiction Translation
category was won by the author M. Mukundan and the translator
Gita Krishnankutty, for On the Banks of the Mayyazhi.
The
2000 prize for the best work in English Fiction went to
Jamyang Norbu for The Mandala of Sherlock Holmes. The prize
for the best work in the Indian Language Fiction Translation
category was won by the author Bama and the translator Lakshmi
Holmstrom, for Karukku.
The Hutch Crossword Book Award 2004 for the best work in
English Fiction went to Amitav Ghosh for The Hungry Tide.
The prize for the best work in the Indian Language Fiction
Translation category was won by the author Chandrasekhar
Rath and the translator Jatindra Kumar Nayak for Astride
the Wheel: Yantrarudha.
The
Hutch Crossword Book Award 2005 for the best work in English
Fiction went to Salman Rushdie for Shalimar the Clown. The
prize for the best work in the Indian Language Fiction Translation
category was won by the author Krishna Sobti and the translators
Reema Anand & Meenakshi Swami for The Heart has its
Reasons. The prize for the best work in the English Non-Fiction
category was won by the author Suketu Mehta for Maximum
City: Bombay Lost & Found.
The
Hutch Crossword Book Award 2006 for the best work in English
Fiction went to Vikram Chandra for Sacred Games. The prize
for the best work in the Indian Language Fiction Translation
category was jointly won by the author C.S. Lakshmi (Ambai)
and the translator Lakshmi Holmstrom for In a Forest, A
Deer and the author M.Mukundan and the translator A.J. Thomas
for 'Kesavan's Lamentations'. The prize for the best work
in the English Non-Fiction category was won by the author
Vikram Seth for Two Lives.
|
Since
its inception in 15th October 1992, Crossword has received
wide recognition for its achievements; articles on retailing
in India invariably feature Crossword. It has been featured
in Advertising Age International, USA, as one of the Marketing
Superstars for 1994. The Bookseller, UK, has also described
it as 'being on the cutting edge of retailing' in India.
Crossword won the Retailer of the
Year Award - Leisure (Books, Music and Gifts Category) at
the Images Retail Awards 2007 and 2005.
Crossword
was ranked the 6th most admired
retailer in India by Businessworld for the year 2006;
it was the only book retailer in the top 10.
Crossword
won the Reid & Taylor Award for Best Retailer of the year -
Leisure & Specialty at the India Retail
Summit 2005
Crossword
received the Federation of Indian
Publishers Award for excellence in Publishing for the year 2004 on 18th June 2005 at the hands of Shri
Arjun Singh, Minister of Human Resource Development.
|
Crossword
Bookstores Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary Company of
Shopper's Stop Ltd - India's leading department store chain.
The Holding Company inter-alia also acts as a Master Franchisee
of the Company.
|
Crossword,
with fifty-four stores, across Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad,
New Delhi, Pune, Nagpur, Vadodara, Kolkata, Chennai,
Jaipur and Hyderabad as on today is India's
fastest growing chain of bookstores.
We could
go on. But Crossword is really much more than words can
tell.
"There
is more treasure in books than in all the pirates' loot
on Treasure Island…and best of all, you can enjoy these
riches every day of your life."
|
|
|
|
|
