Unsurprisingly, Ferozsons has reopened on the Mall Road without much fanfare. A dreadful fire in May 2012 is responsible for the place losing its grandeur or, shall we say, its landmark status.

Having said that, the very fact that one of the city’s premier publishers and bookshops is back to serve its faithful clientele is reason enough to cheer.

The structure of the building of Ferozsons has been restored and finally stacked with books of several genres. According to Daniyal Salam, Director Sales for Ferozsons, "It was a soft reopening because there is work to be done inside the building.

"Although, we have reopened, there are certain matters to take care of. We have only installed a temporary ceiling. The flooring has been redone, though."

The ceiling was badly damaged in the fire. The metallic sheets which serve as a ceiling now, do not do anything to make the place appear appealing.

Salam also spoke of "a proper reopening" which is in the offing.

Ferozsons has always held a significant spot for the book-loving community. The place was a favourite haunt of luminaries from the world of art and literature such as Salima Hashmi, Mustansar Hussain Tarrar, and Arif Azad who have often spoken of their cherished, long-standing association with it.

To quote Altaf Ahmed, a long-term employee, who has served as a marketing manager for books in Urdu, "Our clients haven’t stopped pouring. There are some who have been visiting us since their childhood."

Presently, the shop at the Mall seems a little deserted with the exception of sporadic buyers; not many seem to enter through the doors. "I was not aware that the bookstore has reopened," said Samina, a visitor. She claimed to have seen a lot more books than the store presently has. "I’ve come here after a long time and I can’t help feel nostalgic. The place used to have far too many books and racks than it does [now]."

Meanwhile, one sees Ferozsons opening its branches in other parts of the city, most notably at the Galleria Mall. This one and the one on the Mall Rd would appear radically different from each other, if compared. Although, the difference is not in the collection of book genres as much as in the way these two places look.

Salam seemed to agree. But he promised that "things shall soon change for the better for the store [on the Mall]."

They’ve got to. Or, Ferozsons shall not be able to keep pace with the newer lot of bookstores that have recently come up in Lahore and caught the fancy of the book lovers -- such as Readings, Books n Beans and The Last Word. These are not only attractive places in terms of ambience and setting, they have also managed to be interactive in the way they hold regular book readings and guest lectures. Their comfy cafes are an added attraction.

"The fact cannot be denied that [these] newer places have diversified the bookstore culture of the city. However, we are secure," said Daniyal Salam. "We established ourselves over a century ago. Hence, we have a loyal clientele."

However, Salam admitted that "competition exists!"

For the information of the readers, Ferozsons used to hold book launching events, but regular book readings or other interactive sessions were not common. "We do realise the present needs of a bookstore," said Salam. "We’ve set a precedent. The product mix we have is quite varied."

It is a statement justified by the fact that Ferozsons, aside from providing reading material (which includes novels and digests also), serves the needs of those looking for school paraphernalia in the form of bags and more.