27 February,2010 09:16 AM IST | | Fiona Fernandez
Looking for Martha Stewart's unofficial bio or an encyclopaedia on teddy bears? Head to Suleiman Botawala's Smoker's Corner on Sir PM Road. And no, it isn't a 'smoker's only' enclave
If not for the book-filled kiosks that line the entrance to Botawala Chambers, Smoker's Corner will pass off as any another spacious landing that leads into one of the many Art Deco-esque buildings on Sir Pherozeshah Mehta Road. Pointing to an elevated corner on the ground floor, current owner Zubair Botawala says, "Between 1954 and 1956, my father, Suleiman Botawala started this store as a library with 10 books. Our family owns this building so he decided to sell it from here. He named it Smoker's Corner since a shop at the entrance sold tobacco." Those days, ships from across the world would dock at the harbour for 7 to 8 days. Mariners frequented the place as it stocked tobacco, and cigars and pipes from different countries.
In 1965, it shut down but loyalists of Smoker's Corner's only grew in number, thanks to Botawala Sr.'s legendary goodwill. "He has created a landmark for us. My father's aim was to draw people towards the art of reading," Zubair admits. Journalists, custom officers, RBI officers would flock this bookstore as early as 8.30 am to chat with Suleiman over a cuppa and pore over books related to their field or titles that weren't readily available elsewhere. Ably assisted by his Man Friday, Baba, Zubair took over the business when his father passed away, about a year ago.
Reading matters
Listening to Zubair's tales about his father is inspirational. "There is this Parsi gentleman, Mr Mody, who would drop in for an hour every single morning, and chat with my father on the seamless world of books. He still does," Zubair says with a glint in his eye. The drop-dead prices of these rare titles are baffling. His father's excellent networking with book dealers from the city and beyond, is obvious by the variety on display. Smoker's Corner doesn't believe in hiking prices. You'll spot rare hardbounds, paperbacks, comics, international travel magazines, pocket-sized series, starting from as low as 10 bucks. While Zubair isn't a reader, he is glad his son is. "He'll do justice to the cupboards filled with books in our Mumbai and Surat (ancestral home) residences," he smiles.
Botawala's picks
1) The Teddy Bear Encyclopedia is a fascinating journey into the evolution and the influences that teddy bear designs soaked in from world culture, trends and history.
2) The Hamlyn History of Aviation looks at aviation from its early days to commercial air travel to biographies of great aviators, with over 350 illustrations.
You will find never-seen-before titles like Clara Barton, Founder of the American Red Cross, The Real Prince William & Harry, Nautch Girls of India and a 1971 edition Pall Mall Encyclopedia of Art.
Smoker's Corner, 4A, Botawala Chambers, Sir P.M. Road. Call: 22614060
