Roy Book Stall

Roy Book Stall has been tucked away near Bhabani Dutta Lane on College Street for quite some time. If you know this part of town, you know it’s basically just rows and rows of books. Our shop is no different. We have stacks reaching up to the ceiling, and sometimes it feels like the paper smell is part of the walls. It’s a narrow space, so you have to be careful not to knock anything over when you walk in. We spend our days digging through piles to find that one specific textbook or old edition someone asked for. It’s dusty work, and our hands are usually stained with ink or grime from the covers. College Street is always loud with students and trams, but inside here, it’s mostly just the sound of pages turning. We don't have a computer system to tell us where everything is. We just sort of know. If a book isn't on the shelf, it’s probably in a box under the counter. We get all sorts of people, from young kids looking for school books to old professors searching for something rare. We don't really do fancy displays or anything like that. The books are the main thing. We open early and stay open until the last customer leaves. It’s a simple life, surrounded by stories and facts, just trying to help people find what they need to read.