06/06/2025
In a quiet but heartbreaking update that surfaced last month, Bestseller—Kashmir’s oldest and most cherished bookstore—has officially shut its doors.
Located just a stone’s throw away from Srinagar’s iconic clock tower at Lal Chowk, Bestseller wasn’t just a bookshop—it was a cultural landmark, a haven for readers, and a place where stories came to life.
In April, the owner announced that the store would be closing permanently.
“Retail bookstores weren’t the real threat—we had loyal readers who stuck with us. But everything changed when Flipkart and Amazon entered the scene,” shared Sani, the bookstore’s owner. “People began ordering books online at huge discounts, delivered right to their doorstep. Why would anyone battle traffic or parking when they could just tap a button?”
But the challenge wasn’t only digital convenience, it was also a generational shift.
“The reading culture among today’s youth has dropped drastically,” Sani added. “Earlier, people read for knowledge and peace. Now, it’s mostly just about gathering information—or worse, replaced by Instagram reels and food vlogs.”
