Crossword opens store at Mumbai HPCL outlet

Very soon you may find yourself fact to face with a Crossword bookstore when you stop at a petrol pump or stroll around in a multiplex or a mall.

Crossword today launched 9th store in Mumbai in alliance with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) at a HPCL petrol pump. This 'Crossword Corner' is the brand's 24th store in the country.

R Sriram, chief executive officer and managing director, said, "The idea is not only to cater to existing readers but also attract new readers. Convenience and access have become critical to consumers today and the aim is to develop come-browse-go kind of bookstores at such strategic locations where poeple are bound come."

According to a KSA Technopak research, customers are unwilling to travel beyond a distance of 3 kms for books and 2 kms to shop for music. And Crosswords wants to encash on this behavioural pattern.

According to Sriram, the book market is currently around two per cent. "Around10-15 per cent of the population will read books if they are available at convenient locations. Petrol pump is one such area," said Sriram, adding that the reason behind opening a bookstore at a petrol pump is not only to attract vehicle owners to the bookstore but also tap people from the nearby catchment area buy books.

HPCL officials pointed out that on an average a petrol pump has a minimum of 300-400 customers every day and a value-added service like a bookstore is bound to attract more customers. The 1,200 sq ft bookstore will house books, music, videos and merchandise.

Kumar Rajagopalan, executive director and chief operating officer, said Crosswords has identified 21 cities where it will open its outlets including its flagship stores, corner stores and strategic alliances, taking the total number of Crossword stores to 45, added Rajagopalan.

Crossword Bookstore is jointly promoted by Shopper's Stop and ICICI Venture.