As Saeed Book Bank Plans Closure, Here Are 3 Reasons Why We Want Them To Rethink Their Decision

Saeed Book Bank, the largest bookstore in Pakistan is planning to close down after a struggle to keep afloat, leaving behind a unique legacy.

The bookstore was founded by Taj Muhammad Qureshi in 1932 in Peshawar. In 1999, when English magazines and books were banned by the Taliban in the former North West Frontier Province (NWFP), it was shifted to Islamabad.

It is a three-storied store with each floor dedicated to a specific kind of literature. For instance, the third floor specializes in academics.

Saeed Book Bank is closing down in the near future citing the reason as heavy taxes and decrease in sales.

The decrease in sales did not come as a surprise since people are shifting to digital mediums all over in the world.

Read: 10 Entertaining Urdu Books Every Pakistani Millennial Should Read

The news of the book bank’s closing went viral on social media as book lovers expressed their disappointment.

Twitterati also cited other reasons for the bookstore’s speculated close down.

One user tweeted that that they had failed to keep up with the digital trends and their lack of social media presence was contributing to the possible shutdown.

Some also complained that they never tried to sell books from the new authors.

The prices of their books were high which meant most of the people were denied the luxury of buying from the store.

Even though all of this is true, we cannot help but highlight that the store fulfilled the cravings of book lovers for decades and if shut will leave behind a legacy that will be remembered for a long time.

Here’s why we would want them to rethink their decision:

1. The welcoming aura

Unlike other book stores in Pakistan where books are often stuffed into specific sections without really caring about the aesthetics, Saeed Book Bank makes a special effort to keep its ambiance alive with colors!

Each section is neatly labelled and books displayed vividly to help customers navigate through the store on their own.

2.The store has the richest card collection in the twin cities.

You can find an endless variety of cards for every and any occasion in the bookstore card section. Not only is each category neatly marked but it is also bifurcated by brands to help customers’ decision-making.

3. The bookstore warmly welcomes everyone!

Even those customers who only frequent the store to be in the company of books that they cannot otherwise afford to buy are made to feel equally welcome at the store as others.

One can browse through books and hop from aisle to aisle without worrying about the judgmental or disapproving looks of the store’s management.