A piece of history lost with Manneys’ closure

As the iconic Pune’sManneys will close down on March 31 this year, some of the diehard customers tell Speak Up about what the closure of their favourite bookstore means to them. Many are
disheartened and shocked

Manneys has played an important role in making me fall in love with books

From the age of 16, during my days in Wadia College, I have been visiting Manneys Bookstore which is located in Camp area. Now that I am 70 and cannot visit the bookstore, I call for whatever books I want and it is delivered at home. Now my children and grandchildren visit the store. It is true that Manneys is an iconic store for a Puneite like me. It is very disheartening and shocking to hear that Manneys is closing.

I love reading books and Manneys has played a very important role in making me fall in love with books. If I bought a book from anywhere else, I would feel that I have been disloyal or betrayed Manneys.

The proprietor of Manneys is a friend of mine and my family. He is very kind to every customer. The bookstore has a unique collection of books. Manneys is exclusively a bookstore that caters personally to all customers. I think all its loyal customers must get together and insist on not closing the bookstore.      
Jeroo Dinshaw, retired teacher

The bookstore provides fantastic personal touch to all its customers
I was born and brought-up in Mumbai and in the late 60s and early 70s my father would visit Manneys bookstore whenever he visited Pune. Whenever I accompanied my father, I would also visit the bookstore. My father always insisted on buying his books from Manneys rather than from any stores in Mumbai.

Since I started visiting Pune regularly for business purposes, I would frequently visit the bookstore. My father along with my elder brother and I are very fond of the store for its unique environment.
It provides fantastic personal touch to all its customers. The chances of finding rare books are much higher in Manneys than any other bookstore.

The bookstore has a nostalgic value; it has been there ever since I can remember. It is really shocking for me to hear that it is closing.      

— Arihant Patni, CEO, Bodhi Global Services

All the four generations of our family has been visiting the store
For the past 50 years, I have been going to the Manneys bookstore. In fact, my father who was in army when he was posted in Pune, used to frequent the bookstore. Now my son and his children also visit the Manneys bookstore. All the four generations of our family has been regularly visiting the store. Manneys is one of the best bookstores in the world according to my experience. Their service, collection of books and ability to help customers are excellent. I feel sorry that Manneys is closing.

— Brig (retd) RR Palsokar

I will miss the bookstore; it will be like giving away a part of me
I used to live in Mumbai and shifted to Pune in 1988. Since schooldays, I would buy all my books from Manneys. In fact Manneys was my adda and even now I regularly visit the bookstore. I will really miss the place; it will be like giving away a part of me. The bookstore always had a good selection of books, which included beyond the bestsellers. I had good relations with the Manneys proprietor, Manik, who would personally call me whenever the new edition of National Geographic magazine arrived. In terms of service rendered to customers, Manneys was the best.
— Deepak Dalal, Author

I need to spend time with my family
I am calling it a day because I want to spend time with my three little grandchildren, my daughters Karishma and Tamanna and wife Bina. I used to spend a lot of time with each and every customer. However, as I will not be able to do it anymore, so I have decided to close the bookstore. Flipkart with its door delivery system and heavy discounts will be a threat to all booksellers but that is not the reason for my shutting shop. I genuinely wanted time to myself. I have been working for too long.

— Manik Mani, proprietor