Top 10 Bookstore Chains in India 2026 include Crossword Bookstores, which operates over 120 stores across 40 cities with plans to reach 150 through immersive retail experiences, and Higginbothams, founded all the way back in 1844, making it one of the oldest continuously operating bookstore chains anywhere in Asia. Physical bookstores have shown genuine staying power in India despite the relentless growth of e-commerce, with response from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities remaining strong enough that established chains continue expanding rather than retreating. This list covers the top 10 bookstore chains in India in 2026.
| Rank | Chain | Founded | Scale |
| 1 | Crossword Bookstores | 1992 | 120+ stores, 40 cities |
| 2 | Sapna Book House | 1967 | 25+ outlets, 550,000+ sq ft |
| 3 | Higginbothams | 1844 | India’s oldest bookstore chain |
| 4 | Oxford Bookstore | Century-old | 10+ outlets, café-integrated |
| 5 | Landmark | — | 20 stores, South India focus |
| 6 | WHSmith India | — | Airport-focused locations |
| 7 | Om Bookshop | — | Multi-city, Delhi-based |
| 8 | Blossom Book House | — | Bangalore, new/rare/used books |
| 9 | Gangarams Book Bureau | — | Bangalore heritage chain |
| 10 | Bahrisons Booksellers | — | Delhi heritage bookstore |
1. Crossword Bookstores
Crossword stands as India’s most recognisable modern bookstore chain, founded in Mumbai in 1992 and now operating as a subsidiary of K Raheja Corp under Shopper’s Stop.
- Operates over 120 stores across 40 cities, with expansion plans targeting 150 stores
- Founded the Crossword Book Award, cementing its cultural relevance within India’s literary scene
- Has hosted renowned authors including Yuval Noah Harari, Ruskin Bond, and David Walliams
- Genuinely strong response from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities continues driving its expansion strategy
2. Sapna Book House
Sapna Book House holds the Limca Book of Records recognition as India’s largest bookstore chain, a title it maintained for seven consecutive years.
- Founded in 1967 in Bangalore by Suresh C. Shah, now operating 25-plus outlets spanning over 550,000 square feet
- Recognised by the Government of Karnataka as the largest Kannada book publisher, having published over 5,000 books by 500 authors
- Particularly strong in educational publishing, regional language titles, and competitive exam preparation material
- Operates SapnaOnline, its e-commerce arm, offering over 10 million books alongside electronics and audiobooks
3. Higginbothams
Higginbothams carries genuine historical weight as one of the oldest bookstore chains in all of Asia, founded in 1844 and headquartered in Chennai.
- Represents nearly two centuries of continuous bookselling history in India
- Maintains a strong presence particularly across South India’s literary and academic community
- Regularly cited among India’s most heritage-rich bookstore destinations by both readers and collectors
- Continues operating as a genuine living link to colonial-era Indian bookselling culture
4. Oxford Bookstore
Oxford Bookstore has built its identity around blending traditional book retail with café spaces and literary event programming.
- Operates more than 10 outlets across major cities including Kolkata, New Delhi, and Bhubaneswar
- Combines book browsing with café spaces, creating a genuinely immersive literary destination rather than pure retail
- Regularly hosts literary events, positioning itself as a cultural hub beyond simple book sales
- Represents the century-old heritage segment of India’s organised bookstore chains
5. Landmark
Landmark has built a concentrated, strong presence specifically across South India, evolving from pure book retail into a broader gifting and lifestyle concept.
- Operates approximately 20 stores across cities including Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad
- Has evolved from traditional book retail to include gifts and franchising opportunities
- Represents South India’s most significant concentrated regional bookstore chain
- Continues adapting its retail model to include lifestyle products alongside its core book offerings
6. WHSmith India
WHSmith brings its British retail heritage into India specifically through airport-based bookstore locations.
- Focuses heavily on international bestsellers, business books, thrillers, and travel-friendly paperbacks
- Airport branches also carry strong selections of Indian English writing alongside international titles
- Positioned specifically for travellers seeking quick, convenient reading material before flights
- Represents a genuinely distinct retail model compared to the mall and high-street focused chains dominating this list
7. Om Bookshop
Om Bookshop has built a solid multi-city presence from its New Delhi base, offering a genuinely broad category range spanning academic and general interest titles.
- Offers an extensive range including general knowledge, classics, computer science, and political science titles
- Maintains a genuinely diverse catalogue spanning both academic and casual reading interests
- Represents one of Delhi’s established multi-category bookstore chains
- Continues serving a broad cross-section of readers beyond pure fiction and bestseller categories
8. Blossom Book House
Blossom Book House has built a devoted following in Bangalore specifically around its vast selection of new, rare, and used books.
- Regularly ranked among Bangalore’s top bookstore destinations by both readers and independent review sources
- Distinguished specifically by its combination of new, rare, and secondhand book offerings
- Staffed by knowledgeable personnel who help customers navigate its extensive collection
- Represents the growing appeal of curated, book-lover-focused retail over purely commercial bookselling
9. Gangarams Book Bureau
Gangarams Book Bureau carries genuine heritage status within Bangalore’s bookselling landscape, regularly featured among the city’s most established literary destinations.
- Maintains a long-standing reputation within Bangalore’s competitive bookstore market
- Regularly cited alongside Sapna Book House and Blossom Book House among the city’s top bookstores
- Represents the established, trusted tier of regional bookstore chains beyond the national brands
- Continues serving Bangalore’s literary community through its long-standing local presence
10. Bahrisons Booksellers
Bahrisons Booksellers rounds out this list as one of Delhi’s most beloved heritage bookstores, carrying decades of trust within the capital’s literary circles.
- Represents one of Delhi’s most iconic independent-turned-chain bookstore destinations
- Known for carefully curated selections spanning literary fiction, non-fiction, and children’s literature
- Continues to be regularly cited among India’s most cherished bookstore destinations by readers and collectors alike
- Represents the enduring appeal of personally curated, relationship-driven bookselling within India’s broader retail landscape
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Which bookstore chain is officially recognised as India’s largest?
Sapna Book House holds that distinction, recognised by the Limca Book of Records as India’s largest bookstore chain for seven consecutive years, spanning over 550,000 square feet across its outlets.
Q2. Which bookstore chain is best for browsing at the airport before a flight?
WHSmith India specifically focuses on airport locations, stocking international bestsellers, business books, and travel-friendly paperbacks suited to quick pre-flight purchases.
Q3. Is Crossword Bookstores still expanding despite competition from online retailers?
Yes, Crossword continues actively expanding, currently operating over 120 stores with plans to reach 150, driven partly by strong demand from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
Q4. Which bookstore chain is best for finding rare or secondhand books?
Blossom Book House in Bangalore has built its specific reputation around offering new, rare, and used books, distinguishing it from mainstream chains that focus primarily on new releases.
