Pandurang Bhalekar, a 63-year-old bookseller, can`t help but express his frustration: "We hardly earn 1,000 rupees in a day despite having over 3,000 books in the store." The Book House, nestled in Matunga for seven decades, finds itself grappling with an amalgamation of technology`s onslaught and the Covid-19 pandemic. This beloved establishment, which once welcomed luminaries like Shakuntala Devi, is now navigating through some of its most challenging days.

Bhalekar reminisces about the visits of renowned personalities to the store, emphasising its past allure. However, in stark contrast to its heyday, the store now struggles to attract even a handful of customers. “The store earlier used to attract a good amount of people. Most of them were college professors and students who used to buy literature books Now, having even five customers in a day has become a rare sight.”