Book worming in Adyar

Published in the Express Week dated December 27, Saturday, 1997.

Copyright: The Indian Express, Chennai.

Three years ago, Adyar came to Mount Road for books. Today, there's a jungle closer in the Odyssey -- a book store that shares creativity, a fusion of age-old sentiments and youthful ideas. Books, toys, greeting cards, CD-ROMs and above all, convenience at a quality. An idea conceived exclusively for Adyarites, Odyssey is the vantage point for books.

Managing Director Sudharshan D. Reddy puts it this way: "I had always felt that Adyar needed a good bookstore. After almost a decade-long experience in selling, I thought I could make my dream come true. And that's how Odyssey opened its wings in April 1994." In keeping with the business, he named it after the epic.

The bookstore caters to every reader -- the generalist and the specialist. Fiction, self-help, management, Sci-Fi, computers, general studies, interiors, art, literature, horoscope, wild life, you name it, you have it all.

Sudharshan knew that Adyar needed a store that could genuinely cater to the readers' needs. "I walked into the selling business at Landmark in 1987, ditching a computer course. A little experience from Walden in Hyderabad, Fountainhead in Bangalore, and as a manager at the Fountainhead here in Chennai, helped me become part of this enchanting book world."

Besides books, Odyssey also deals in audio cassettes and CDs, western home video, stationery and greeting cards. For children, there is the Jeux Nathan range of toys, besides soft toys.

Sudharshan plans to expand his services in the near future. "Though there is no mail-order facility right now, we keep our customers abreast of the latest by giving pamphlets. We are also planning a 'Little Odyssey' -- an exclusive shop in the shop, for children's books, where books will be easy for children to pick from," says Sudharshan.

Ashwin, Sudharshan's partner, says the store plans improving the CD-ROM and multimedia section in a big way. "We are also planning to have a sale in February, our first," he says proudly.

Also on cards is a 'design your card' where you can pick up your motifs and designs and customise messages -- all at the flick of a button.

Sudha Shenoy