If you have been following this blog for a while, you would know that I(Chris) like to check out local bookstores when visiting a new city/country.  For example, in Budapest, London, Kuala Lumpur… for more bookstores, click on Books to find them.

In Moscow, I stumbled upon this massive bookstore after having dinner in the touristy Arbat area.

The street Novy Arbat is actually not so touristy as it is a major thoroughfare with 6-8 lanes of traffic. It actuality took me a while in the evening darkness to find a pedestrian underpass to go to the other side of the street.

As I cannot read Russian, I was not sure that it was a bookstore – from a distance, I thought it could have been a record store – a Russian Virgin or Towers – well as it turned out, not exactly, it is a Russian Barnes & Nobles or Waterstones.

It does indeed sell some music – CD, DVD – but it is a small collection.

The store has a section selling vintage books.

Downstairs are departments selling stationary, magazines and vintage books.

They did not seem to mind me taking photos.

Upstairs are the general sections, including some English books.

Wish I could read Russian, I am so curious of all these books.

I was happy to find that they stock a lot of sheet music – as gifts to IT who is learning a new musical instrument – I could easily pick up a few souvenirs.

There was also a cafe (closed already since I was there after dinner).

Similar to B&N, there was an area for talks, book signing, etc. which were filled with a small contingent of comfortably immersed readers.

It is really a cozy place to hang out with books or a friend, away from the bitter cold outside. It was getting late and I needed to figure out how to get back to my hotel.

Reading is good in any language.