Business1 min read

Pune couple's doorstep book venture sells 1 lakh books, earns Rs 1.5 crore

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Launched in August 2020 following a housing society exhibition in Baner, Pustakwale has reached approximately 50,000 families across Pune. The business operates by setting up book exhibitions in residential communities, corporate offices, and schools without paying venue fees. It also supports youth employment by enlisting over 100 young readers through an "Earn and Learn" program to handle sales and exhibition logistics. To further encourage literacy, the founders are preparing to launch a "2 Pages A Day" campaign on Children's Day.

Key points

  • Direct community outreach allows the business to avoid traditional storefront overhead by…: Direct community outreach allows the business to avoid traditional storefront overhead by securing free exhibition spaces.
  • The company plans to raise Rs 50 lakh in phases to boost working capital, inventory, and…: The company plans to raise Rs 50 lakh in phases to boost working capital, inventory, and institutional partnerships.
  • A new Children's Day initiative titled "2 Pages A Day" will focus on cultivating daily fa…: A new Children's Day initiative titled "2 Pages A Day" will focus on cultivating daily family reading routines.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

A bookstore does not always need four walls, shelves or a busy shopping street. Sometimes, all it takes is a few children's books, an invitation to a housing society and two people willing to try an unusual idea. That is how Pune-based couple Rutica Walambe, 39, and Ashay Walambe, 41, began their entrepreneurial journey with Pustakwale in August 2020. What started as a small book exhibition in a Baner housing society has grown into a doorstep book venture that has sold more than one lakh books to 50,000 families and generated over Rs 1.5 crore in cumulative revenue.

Their story is not just about selling books. It is about taking reading beyond traditional bookstores and making it easier for families to discover their next favourite read.

From one housing society to a citywide reading network

The idea was born during a casual conversation. When the couple visited their friend in August 2020, they carried a book for his five-year-old son. During the visit, they learnt that the family had no nearby bookstore and found it difficult to travel elsewhere to…

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