A Place of Familiarity

I have always believed that some places become part of people’s stories without even trying to.

I met a couple from Roorkee who came all the way to Dehradun for their pre-wedding shoot. It made me curious, why travel for a bookstore when there are endless locations to choose from? Especially when they themselves own a cafe in Roorkee, a beautiful space they could have easily chosen instead.

But their reason was simple.

They used to come here together.

Long before wedding planning entered the picture, before responsibilities and routines settled in, this bookstore had quietly become a part of their time together. During visits to Dehradun, they would stop by, browse books, spend time, and make memories, probably without realising that one day they would return here for something as special as a pre-wedding shoot.

In a time where pre-wedding shoots are often about destinations or themes, there was something incredibly meaningful about choosing familiarity. They picked this place because it already existed in their story.

Watching them return to the same shelves, the same corners they once casually walked through, felt like witnessing something much bigger than photographs being taken. It felt like a memory coming full circle.

This also made me think about what legacy really means for a place like The English Book Depot - becoming part of people’s lives in different ways.

For this couple, the bookstore was never just a bookstore. It quietly held a part of their story.

And perhaps that is what makes places stay relevant across generations, not only what they offer, but what people attach to them over time.

Some people visit for books.

Some come back for memories. And sometimes, both become the same thing.

-Sneha