oxfordbookstore.com : Enjoy virtual tour of Oxford Bookstores!

The story of Oxford Bookstore began over 80 years ago in Park Street in Calcutta or Kolkata. Initially known as Oxford Book and Stationary, it soon carved a special niche for itself in the region, dominated by Thacker & Spink and Newman's.

In 1995 to commemorate its platinum anniversary the store was recreated as Oxford Bookstore – Gallery by Apeejay Surrendra Group. It became a contemporary, multidimensional experience in keeping with the international trends offering well-stocked, well-researched book sections, India's first Alternative Art Gallery and top of the line amenities and services. The unique product mix included books, music, software, stationery, gifts and CHA BAR. It had reinvented itself to celebrate the "word".

In 2006, Oxford Bookstore introduced two new retailing formats with Oxford Junior and Oxford Express. The first dedicated bookstore for children in India, Oxford Junior was opened in Kolkata in July 2006. Shortly, Oxford Express was launched at the Wipro Campus in Bangalore. This was followed by similar smaller retail outlets in Kolkata and Shillong. Franchisee operations began in 2006 with Oxford Express in Shillong. Subsequently, new franchisees opened up in Bangalore, Coimbatore, Kolkata Amritsar, Guwahati, Dimapur, Siliguri, Ranchi, Jaipur, Chandigarh and South Goa.

Oxford Über, India’s only exclusive store for lifestyle books opened in October 2007. In keeping with the tastes and preferences of haute couture enthusiasts, Oxford Über retails a special category of well-researched book sections that bring together the finest of Indian and international lifestyle in bound volumes. The name Oxford Über has been derived from the German language with the word über being used a synonym for super in modern times.

Leveraging on relationships built over 80 years with publishing houses, the store offers a range of titles from HarperCollins, Penguin, Random House, Tata McGraw-Hill, Prentice Hall, Oxford University Press. Niche publishing houses like Ananda, Navayana, Tulika, Srishti, Indialog, Zubaan are also represented. Strategic alliances provide access to over 6 million titles from the USA and UK. World’s largest publisher of Art books, Thames and Hudson (UK), provide us exclusive support through latest titles.

Oxford Bookstore stocks an enviable collection of nearly 1000 magazines covering topics like Design, Culture, Teens, Careers, Electronics, Gadgets, Computers, Cars, Music, Nature and Photography. The bookstore also offers an interesting music section along with a range of exclusive eco-friendly and new age stationary items.

For a rejuvenating pause in between discovering books at Oxford Bookstore, the CHA BAR has been introduced at the Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi stores. The CHA BAR brews a wide selection of Indian and international blends including Organic teas – Chamomile and Hibiscus, Green teas – Chinese Green and Japanese Green, Ayurvedic Teas – Brahmi and Karma and Cultural preparation – Moroccan Mint and Arabic Spice.

Lil’ Cha Bar, a spin off from the successful CHA BAR, is located at the kids store on Park Street, Kolkata. Tucked into a cozy corner of the bookstore, the Lil' Cha Bar offers a unique experience for the kids. The menu includes healthy beverages like light peach and apple flavored iced tea, a classic chocolate and milk super drink for super boys and girls; super organic lassi to name a few.

Oxford Bookstore is the only completely integrated online offline bookstore in the country with access to 6 million titles worldwide. www.oxfordbookstore.com provides special online shopping benefits and is the only of its kind, hosted out of India. The site also gives you news of all the latest publications, provides you with in-depth reviews of books and music and features exclusive interviews with celebrity authors and hosts India’s largest online talent contest, e-Author.

In April 2007, Oxford Bookstore was declared as one of "India's Biggest Newsmakers" in Retail category as per the survey conducted by Business Today. In January 2006, CHA BAR received the Times Food Award in the Best Tea Bar category in New Delhi. Casa Brutus, the Japanese cult Magazine, in the March 2005 issue, mentioned the store among the must visit places in the Capital. Computerworld Smithsonian Honors Archives & Academic Council nominated Oxford Bookstore in the Business and Services category of 2003 Computerworld Honors Collection.

Oxford Bookstore became the first book retailing enterprise in the country to launch an interactive SMS Service in association with Mobile 365 through the short code 6365 to update booklovers on new releases and bestsellers on their phones in 2006.

The success of Oxford can be attributed to the combination of enterprise and vision, tradition and state-of-the-art technology and the very best in books services and amenities. The Oxford story will continue and we will soon be there in all the major metros and mini metros of India.

Kolkata : Cha Bar, Park Street | Little Cha Bar, Park Street
Mumbai : Cha Bar, Church Gate
Bangalore : Cha Bar, Leela Palace | Cha Bar, Jayanagar
New Delhi : Cha Bar, Statesman House
Chennai : Cha Bar, Haddows Road
Coimbatore : Cha Bar, Trichy Road
Amritsar : Cha Bar, Lawrence Road
Ranchi : Cha Bar, Main Road
Goa : Cha Bar, Cavelossim

CHA BAR moves tea drinking from a dry page in history to a contemporary urban living experience and bring alive the romance of tea and position it as the chosen beverage. It proposes to educate and expose the consumer to the lost world of tea with all its possibilities – not merely as a beverage but a concept. It is about re-introducing tea as a trendy social beverage and to take it out to an urban contemporary space from the dhabas and out of the home. Located within Oxford Bookstores in Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, New Delhi, Chennai, Coimbatore, Amritsar, Ranchi and Goa it offers select brews from all significant tea growing regions from the world over in an extremely modern and contemporary space.

CHA BAR re-introduces the Indian audience to a vast range of teas blended and prepared with a precision that has resulted after exhausting research of the history of tea, it’s passage through the times and the form it’s taken on now internationally. A refreshing and a relaxing space, it inspires all to remove tea from the dry pages of history and make it a contemporary urban experience. Revisiting and important Indian tradition, it promotes tea as a healthy drink for every age and all seasons.

CHA BAR is both stylish and relaxing, a space where you can unwind with a hot cup of tea and reflect on books and ideas within. There is a wide selection of Indian and International tea to choose from including Flavoured Tea, Herbal Tea, Fruit Tea to name a few. Hand picked variety from Darjeeling, Nilgiri, Sikkim, Oolong compliments the best in Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Moroccan, Sri Lankan, Thai and South African tea. Special category Cha Hindustani has been competitively priced. Along with blends we serve Cultural preparation like Moroccan Mint. Organic Tea, Green teas, Ayurvedic Teas with healing powers has are popular with the clientele. The ranges of teas have been complimented with the depth of choice. Virginal teas from single estates, which are also served here, give the collection a new dimension. This special menu has been put together with the help of in house experts at Apeejay Tea, a division of the Apeejay Surrendra Group.

The space itself adds to the experience. The natural colors of all material create a calm, soothing, refreshing, healthy environment. The unique design incorporates the original textures of each material – wood, steel, glass, aluminum, onyx – all are uncoated and exist in their original beauty and contours. Clear white light illuminate the predominantly white interiors and offsets the brilliant mélange of hues of the main bookstore. CHA BAR acts as the perfect foil to the busy world outside – it is a space of perfect calm amidst chaos.

On the menu are a wide selection of teatime favourites like sandwiches, fries, muffins, cookies, pastries, cake, quiches and pies. Fresh wholesome salads like Turkish, Pasta, Nicoise and soy grilled chicken salads with a choice of dressings are perfect for a healthy meal. Other items include all time favourite Ham and Cheese sandwich, juicy roast chicken sandwich or a tangy paneer wrap. House special soft centred muffins, oven fresh croissants, fresh cookies and home-style special cakes are perfect to round off a meal or to take away. The menu has been researched and created by the in house team of The Park Hotels, a collection of luxury boutique hotels in India.

CHA BAR launched its new menu with more varieties of exotic teas and scrumptious snacks in April 2007. The latest tea concoctions in the new menu include Bollywood Masala Mix Cha, Truck Drivers 100 Meel Ki Cha, Formosa Oolong, Yellow Tea, Jasmine Pearl, Genmaicha, Chinese Long Gin, Verbena Tea, Purple Rose, Fruit Melange, and Japanese Macha. Other new delights added as tea time favourites include Mezze Platter, Keema Matar Samosas, Chocolate Croissant Roll, Greek Salad, Walnut Caramel Cookies, Seasonal Fruit Tart and many more. This new menu has been designed especially by experts at CHA BAR and The Park Hotels.

CHA BAR is not only about Tea but goes beyond that and offers an experience that is built around the central theme. Our shelves are stocked with the best in national and international publishing and our cups are filled with the best tea from select gardens from all over the world. It is the space where exciting tea related activities are held for popular participation.

A spin off from the successful CHA BAR integrated into the mother brand Oxford Bookstore, Lil’ Cha Bar is located at Oxford Junior on Park Street, Kolkata. Tucked into a cozy corner of the kids’ store, the Lil' Cha Bar, which seats six, is located at the lower level of the store and offers a unique experience for the kids. The menu includes beverages like light peach and apple flavored iced tea, a classic chocolate and milk super drink for super boys and girls; Cherry Strawberry milkshake; super organic lassi to name a few. The wholesome snacks include organic fruit and nut cake, delicious honeybee cookies, molten chocolate pastry, muffins and sandwiches. Lil' Cha Bar is a sub brand of CHA BAR.

In January 2006, CHA BAR received the Times Food Award in the Best Tea Bar category in New Delhi.

We are one of the world’s largest producers of tea. Our operations are directed through two premier tea companies established in 1863. All our gardens are ISO 9002 compliant. We are country's third largest tea producer, retailing at Harrods.