A one stop guide to buying second hand books in Mumbai

“One glance at a book and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for 1,000 years. To read is to voyage through time.” 

– Carl Sagan 

Books have been around for centuries and have impacted billions of lives. Even though they all look and feel the same, the stories they tell can vastly differ. In today's time, you don’t necessarily need to have bookshelves full of books to always have good books to read. With the advent of the internet, access to books has been easier than ever before. The internet is your library, you can order any book of your liking and have it delivered to you in a matter of days (That is if you love the feel of books and don’t want to read on your smartphone or tablet) and then return it so that someone else could enjoy the same book but with a different perspective than yours. That’s the amazing thing about books, as long as they are in good condition, even if it drops in price its true value remains the same, the content is all the same no matter how old the book is. 

Mumbai - The city of dreams and a gold mine for book lovers

Mumbai is known as the “city of dreams” or “Mayanagri” and it's a city loved by both dreamers and dream chasers alike.  It is the 7th most populous city in the world with a population of approximately 20 million! Mumbai being the entertainment and commercial capital of India is known to attract people from all walks of life and is one of the most diverse states in our country. From street-side Vada Pavs to the 'Gateway of India', the number of tourist attractions here seems endless. But there's something else in store, for all you book lovers out there in Mumbai looking to get that favorite book of yours and save some money while doing so, we have rounded up the best places in Mumbai to get your next good read. 

1. Used Books Factory - Online 

2. City book center - Andheri 

3. Books Plaza – Borivali 

4. Paras Bookwallah – Powai 

5. Vivek Book Depot - Chembur 

6. The Book Shop – Vile Parle 

7. Kamal book shop – Andheri 

8. Ambika Book Centre – Mahim 

9. Atul Book Store – Borivali 

10. Atul Book Store – Borivali 

 

1. Used Books Factory - Best second hand books store online

Where – usedbooksfactory.com 

Time – Anytime 

Contact - usedbooksfactory@gmail.com 

Rated 4.7 stars on Google, has over 500 reviews.

 

Founded with the very intention of making sure every used book gets to the caring arms of someone in need this start-up from Chennai is in pursuit to turn this into a reality. ‘Used Books Factory’ is an online second hand book store equipped with their own inventory and an option to request a specific book that is currently unavailable, they go through the entire process of sourcing the book, and getting it to you while you sit back is definitely a differentiating factor.   

Considering the ability to request specific books the collection of books available is vast but ‘Used Books Factory’ specializes in NCERT textbooks, medical, engineering, and management books, and a whole lot of classics and non-fiction books. All these books available in good condition at a fraction of the cost if they were to be bought new. With reasonably low delivery rates, Cash on delivery, and easy money back available for books damaged in transit, UBF seems to be the go-to if you are looking to get the books delivered to you while you rest in the comfort of your own home. 

 

2. City Book Center – Andheri 

Where - Shop 5, Sukhmani Building, S.V. Road & V.P. Road Junction, Near Archies Gallery, Shree Ram Nagar, Andheri (W), Mumbai. 

Time – 10 AM to 10 PM 

Contact - 9820687745 

Rated 3.9 stars on Google, has over 150 reviews.

 

City Book Center is one of the most renowned second hand books store in Mumbai. Established in the year 2006, City Book Center has continued to provide quality books at affordable prices and has garnered excellent reviews from customers over the years. With a huge collection of novels, Civil services/ UPSC books and engineering books City Book Center is a great place to get a couple of books for your next binge reading or semester exams. And with an Archies gallery nearby, you can get something for your loved ones with the money you’ll end up saving. 

 

3. Book Plaza – Borivali 

Where - Shop no 2, Chandralok Society, Lokmanya Tilak Rd, opposite TANISHQ, Borivali West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400092 

Time – 10 AM to 9 PM 

Contact - 02228907690 

Rated 4.0 stars on Google, has over 650 reviews.

 

Book Plaza is a second hand book store in Borivali and it might very well be the answer to all your reading needs. With a multitude of competitive exam books among other books, you can easily find the book you require. Another plus point is that they even accept your old books, so trade in your used books to get some heavy discount on your purchases. They also conduct fairs and sales, where you can get books for a great value.  Feel free to check out the store if you live nearby and stock up on some classics. 

 

4. Paras Bookwallah – Powai 

Where - Shop No 5 , Royal Arcade, Mhada Colony 20, Mhada 21, next to Bhakti Super Market, behind Jal Vayu Vihar, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400076 

Time – 10:30 AM to 9 PM (Closed on Mondays) 

Contact - 9833789592 

Rated 3.3 stars on Google, has over 5 reviews.

 

Established in 1976, Paras Bookwallah has been around for a very long time. Providing a massive variety of books including bestsellers, fiction, non-fiction, children's books, comics, magazines, biographies, and so on. Their collection of children's books is certainly eye-catching. What else? Their continued success has enabled them to start a second branch too. Definitely, a place to check out if you are interested in going through a large collection of used books in great condition and picking up all those books you always wanted to buy. 

 

5. Vivek Book Depot - Chembur 

Where – Shop no.2, Brindavan Colony, Chembur West, Tilak Nagar, Chembur, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400089 

Time – 10 AM to 9 PM  

Contact - 9820730257 

Rated 5.0 stars on Google, has over 5 reviews.

 

Vivek Book Depot in Chembur is known for its book fairs and exhibitions. The amount of second hand books available is mind-boggling, that too at reasonably affordable prices. The place is also known for its collection of vintage comics and modern-day classics. They also provide the option to exchange your old books, provided that they are in good enough condition. Vivek Book Depot deserves your attention if you are looking for comics or modern-day classics like To Kill a Mockingbird, Animal Farm, The Catcher in the Rye, and The Great Gatsby. Just keep an eye out for sales that might happen to save a bit more. 

 

6. The Book Shop – Vile Parle 

Where – 106, Kambliwadi Building, Nehru Road, Vile Parle East, Mumbai - 400057, Opposite HDFC Bank (Map) 

Time – 9 AM to 9 PM (Closed on Mondays) 

Contact - 9833664686 

Rated 3.9 stars on Google, has over 100 reviews.

 

Another book store that’s been around for a long time, The Book Shop was established in 1988. CBSE, ICSE, Law, and Medical second hand books are a major part of their stockpile. With a lot of great customer reviews, The Book Shop is a solid choice if you live nearby. Again, you also have the option to trade in your old books, so make sure to exchange all the books you are done with to get some sweet discounts. 

 

7. Kamal Book Shop – Andheri 

Where – Shop Number -1, Talati Apartment, SV Rd, New Sarvottam Society, Irla Bridge, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400058 

Time – 8 AM to 9 PM (Till 2:30 PM on Sundays) 

Contact - 02266970252 

Rated 3.8 stars on Google, has over 35 reviews.

 

Located near Irla Bridge, (Near Fire Brigade) Kamal Book Shop is popular for Marathi books and all kinds of novels, Kamal Book Shop is a reader's delight if you are looking to do some reading in Marathi. Popular classics like Mrityunjaya by Shivaji Sawant, Musafir by Achyut Godbole, Vyakti Aani Valli by P. L. Deshpande, Mahanayak by Vishwas Patil are all available. So all you Marathi readers out there, do check out Kamal Book Shop in Andheri. 

 

8. Ambika Book Centre – Mahim 

Where – Shop No. 6, Building No. 77, Wadi Manzil, L.J. Road, Mahim West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400016 

Time – 10 AM to 9 PM (Closed on Sundays) 

Contact - 9869159772 

Rated 4.7 stars on Google, has over 5 reviews.

 

Different streams of Engineering, Pharmacy, Banking, MBA, Law, no matter what your field of study is, you will most likely find books for your field here. That’s not all, they do have a collection of fiction and non-fiction books too. Plus, they even provide the facility to rent a book for a particular time, given that, you maintain the quality of the book for the time you are lending it. So, for all your educational book needs do check out Ambica Book Store in Andheri. 

 

9. Atul Book Store – Borivali 

Where – Shop No.3, SV Rd, Mhatre Wadi, Borivali West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400092 

Time – 9 AM to 9 PM 

Contact - 9821425305 

Rated 4.1 stars on Google, has over 700 reviews.

 

Another book store from Borivali with a lot in store for you. (Get it?) Various second hand books including school and college textbooks, computer and electronics books, that too in multiple languages along with a whole lot of magazines and encyclopedias. Used IIT/ JEE books are a major hit here. What this store contains is nothing less than a treasure and it’s right here in Borivali. The store has great reviews from customers and also accepts old books for exchange. 

 

10. Mumbai’s Book Street – Fort 

Where – Florafoutain, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001 

Time – 9 AM to 5 PM 

 

This one’s a favorite among avid readers. What is it? Streets covered with walls of books available at the cheapest rates you could ever find! And the collection is unimaginable. You will find books from decades ago to modern bestsellers, literary classics to scholarly books. Some of them even sell books by kilos, you can buy your favorite books by weight! It’s the reader's heaven, people from all over Mumbai flock to these streets to meet their reading needs. And an amazing thing is, there are usually huge sales going on so you can end up saving even more. These streets are definitely fascinating, check out this article here if you'd like to read more about the famous book streets of Mumbai. So if you want to pick up a lot of books, these streets are the only place you need to look for. 

 

Parting words 

Used books are just as valuable as new ones, and by buying used books you end up doing your part in saving the environment by reusing. Also, finding quotes written by someone else in books is a classic in romantic novels. Do check out any of these used book stores to get your next book, also if you are a person who prefers to get things delivered to them then do check out UsedBooksFactory.com for a huge collection of used books online and enjoy, as the books get delivered to your doorstep. We care for your safety, so the delivery takes place keeping in mind the safety measures required in today's times.