Crossword Bookstores has opened a new store at L&T Elixir Reserve in Powai, Mumbai, adding another neighbourhood destination for books, stationery, toys, gifts and community-led literary experiences.
The new Crossword Powai store is already emerging as more than a conventional retail outlet. Within its opening weeks, the store has hosted author conversations, book launches and reader interactions, reinforcing Crossword’s strategy of using physical bookstores as community spaces rather than simply points of sale.
Located at L&T Elixir Reserve, opposite A.M. Naik School in Powai, the store gives residents and families in the rapidly developing neighbourhood a new destination to browse books, discover new authors and participate in literary activities. Crossword itself has confirmed the new location and positioned it as part of its effort to become part of the Powai reading community.
Crossword Powai Opens as a New Community-Focused Bookstore
The opening of the Crossword store at L&T Elixir Reserve comes with a strong emphasis on community engagement.
According to the company’s launch communication, the store has already seen customers contribute to a “Recommend a Book” wall, creating a reader-driven space where visitors can share their favourite titles with fellow book lovers.
The store has also hosted multiple author-led events soon after opening, indicating that Crossword intends to establish the location as a cultural and literary destination within Powai.
This approach is consistent with Crossword’s broader retail philosophy. The company says its stores are designed to provide spaces where readers can discover books, meet other book lovers and interact with authors and literary personalities.
Author Events Give Crossword Powai an Early Literary Identity
One of the notable aspects of the new Crossword Powai opening has been the speed at which the store has moved into programming and community building.
The store hosted a conversation featuring Yahya Bootwalla and Neeraj Pandey around the themes of belonging and the meaning of home. Crossword’s official event page lists the session at its L&T Elixir, Powai location on 29 August 2026.
The location also hosted author Aastha Roy for a conversation and signing around her book Love Under Cover. Crossword’s event listing confirms the Powai venue and the event date of 29 August 2026.
Another literary engagement centred on Divya Prakash Dubey and the English launch of Musafir Café. Crossword’s own product platform lists Dubey as the author and describes the book as a collection of stories built around human connections, conversations and experiences.
Together, these activities point towards an important aspect of the new store: Crossword is building programming into the retail experience from the beginning.
Kids’ Workshops and Storytelling to Expand the Powai Experience
The community calendar is also set to extend beyond adult readers.
Crossword has announced a series of creative workshops for children at the Powai store, reflecting its wider focus on encouraging reading among younger audiences.
The next major activity highlighted by the company is Mighty Explorers with Purba M. on Sunday, 6 September 2026, featuring storytelling, a meet-and-greet with Mushak and an author book signing.
With children’s books and merchandise already an important part of Crossword’s business, such programming can help turn the new store into a recurring family destination rather than a location visited only for book purchases.
Why the Powai Location Matters for Crossword
Powai has developed into one of Mumbai’s prominent residential, educational and commercial neighbourhoods, with a mix of established communities and newer developments.
L&T Elixir Reserve itself is positioned as a mixed-use development incorporating residential, commercial and retail components. The development covers a large 60-acre land parcel and includes high-street retail as part of its broader development plan.
The location is also close to educational and commercial destinations. L&T Realty’s project information places A.M. Naik School within the development and highlights connectivity to IIT Bombay, IIM Mumbai, JVLR and other parts of Mumbai.
For a bookstore retailer, this creates the potential for multiple customer segments: families, students, working professionals, residents and visitors.
Crossword’s Retail Strategy Goes Beyond Books
The Powai opening is part of a broader evolution in Crossword’s retail model.
Founded in 1992, Crossword says it has grown from its first Mumbai store to 120 stores across 40 cities. Its assortment extends beyond books to include stationery, toys and gifts.
This wider product mix has become increasingly important to the business.
In an interview with ETRetail in 2025, Crossword CEO Aakash Gupta said books accounted for around 65% of revenue, while toys, stationery and gifts contributed the remaining 35%. The company also said children’s books and merchandise were a significant growth driver.
This makes the modern Crossword format closer to a multi-category lifestyle and gifting destination built around books, rather than a traditional bookstore alone.
Crossword Is Increasing Its Focus on Physical Retail
Despite the growth of e-commerce, physical stores remain central to Crossword’s business.
ETRetail reported in 2025 that physical stores continued to be the company’s primary revenue driver, while its online business was supplemented by marketplaces, quick commerce and social selling.
The company was also targeting significant expansion. In 2025, Crossword said it was aiming for 300 stores over four to five years, with expansion across metropolitan and Tier 2 cities. The strategy included malls, neighbourhood locations, office complexes and airport retail.
The Powai store therefore fits into a larger strategy of taking the bookstore closer to consumers while experimenting with different physical retail environments.
From Bookstore to Neighbourhood Cultural Space
The most interesting element of the Crossword Powai launch is arguably not the store itself, but how the company is using the location.
The opening-week activity demonstrates a deliberate combination of:
- Book discovery
- Author interactions
- Book launches
- Signing sessions
- Reader recommendations
- Children’s storytelling
- Creative workshops
- Community events
This reflects a broader shift taking place in physical retail.
As consumers increasingly purchase products online, physical stores have to provide reasons for customers to visit beyond transactions. For bookstores, author events, community discussions, workshops and reading experiences can create those additional reasons.
Crossword’s own positioning reflects this approach, with the company highlighting author events, weekly reading sessions and activities designed to introduce children to reading.
The “Recommend a Book” Wall Creates a Human Retail Touchpoint
One particularly interesting feature at the new Powai store is the “Recommend a Book” wall.
While digital platforms increasingly rely on algorithms and personalised recommendations, a physical recommendation wall introduces a human element into book discovery.
Readers can see what other visitors recommend, potentially discover titles outside their normal search patterns and contribute their own choices.
For a retailer built around discovery, this kind of feature can also encourage repeat visits because the store itself becomes a constantly changing collection of recommendations.
What the Crossword Powai Store Offers
Crossword’s wider retail assortment includes:
Books:
Fiction, non-fiction, children’s books, biographies, business, self-help, academic and educational titles, lifestyle books and more.
Stationery:
Writing instruments, notebooks, office and school stationery and related products.
Toys and children’s products:
The company has increasingly focused on children’s books, toys and merchandise.
Gifts:
Crossword has been strengthening its position as a gifting destination alongside its traditional bookstore identity.
Events and experiences:
Author meetings, book launches, reading sessions, storytelling and creative workshops form an important part of the physical-store experience.
Readers can also explore Crossword’s broader catalogue through its official online platform.
What the Powai Opening Says About India’s Book Retail Market
The opening is significant beyond Crossword itself.
India’s book retail market is increasingly balancing physical discovery with digital convenience.
Online platforms make it easy to search for a particular title, compare prices and order books quickly. Physical bookstores, however, provide something fundamentally different: browsing, serendipitous discovery, personal recommendations and social interaction.
Crossword’s expansion suggests that there remains an opportunity for organised bookstore retail when stores are designed around experiences rather than shelves alone.
The Powai launch is a strong example of this approach. The store has combined retail with author interactions and children’s programming almost immediately after opening.
Crossword’s Next Phase of Expansion
Crossword’s 300-store ambition, outlined by CEO Aakash Gupta in 2025, indicates that the company sees considerable room for expansion in India’s organised bookstore market.
Its strategy includes a combination of mall stores, neighbourhood outlets, airport locations and other high-footfall environments.
The Powai location is particularly aligned with the neighbourhood-store strategy: instead of relying solely on destination malls, Crossword is establishing a bookstore within a mixed-use residential and commercial ecosystem.
If this model succeeds, future Crossword stores could increasingly function as local reading and community hubs, bringing the brand closer to residential catchments while maintaining its broader books-plus-lifestyle proposition.
Crossword Powai: A New Chapter for Mumbai Retail
The opening of Crossword at L&T Elixir Reserve, Powai represents another step in the evolution of India’s organised bookstore retail sector.
The store is not being positioned simply as another retail outlet. From its “Recommend a Book” wall to author conversations, book launches and upcoming children’s storytelling sessions, Crossword is attempting to build a local community around the store.
For Powai readers, that means a new place to discover books, meet authors, attend literary events and spend time with fellow readers.
For Crossword, it represents another physical touchpoint in a wider expansion strategy that aims to take its bookstore experience to more neighbourhoods and cities across India.
Location: Crossword, L&T Elixir Reserve, Powai, Mumbai
Upcoming event: Mighty Explorers with Purba M. — Sunday, 6 September 2026
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Where is the new Crossword store in Powai?
The new Crossword store is located at L&T Elixir Reserve in Powai, Mumbai, opposite A.M. Naik School. Crossword has officially confirmed the location.
2. When did Crossword open its new Powai store?
Crossword announced the opening in late August 2026, with literary events at the location beginning from 29 August.
3. What can customers buy at Crossword?
Crossword sells books along with stationery, toys and gifts. The company also organises author events, reading sessions and children’s activities.
4. Has Crossword organised events at the new Powai store?
Yes. Events have included a conversation with Yahya Bootwalla and Neeraj Pandey, an appearance by Aastha Roy for Love Under Cover, and programming around Divya Prakash Dubey’s Musafir Café.
5. Is there a children’s event at Crossword Powai?
Crossword has announced Mighty Explorers with Purba M. for 6 September 2026, featuring storytelling, a meet-and-greet with Mushak and an author signing.
6. How many Crossword stores are there in India?
Crossword’s official website currently states that it has 120 stores across 40 cities.
7. What is Crossword’s expansion target?
In a 2025 interview, CEO Aakash Gupta said Crossword was targeting 300 stores over four to five years, with expansion across metros and Tier 2 cities.
8. Who owns Crossword Bookstores?
Crossword was sold by Shoppers Stop to its largest franchisee, Agarwal Business House, in 2021. Shoppers Stop’s subsequent disclosures confirm that its remaining stake was sold, with no holding in Crossword as of March 2025.