Uttam's Saree in Connaught Place in Delhi was established in 1939. (Source: magicpin.in) Uttam’s Sarees in Connaught Place, Delhi, is about to shut down. The popular saree centre in the heart of the capital city will shut shop owing to “personal reasons” latest by March 31, a staff member told indianexpress.com. Uttam’s was established in 1939 as a family business.
That is sad, it is an old institution in CP. Back in the day they ran an ad campaign with Leela Naidu, Maharani Gayatri Devi and Waheeda Rehman.
— Rahul Biddappa (@rahulbiddappa) February 4, 2021
Being outdated to suffering financial loss have been among the reasons for a number of iconic sites to have been forced to close their doors, after operating successfully for years. We list some of the other shops, cafes, and book stores in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata that may have shut down but remain etched in our memories.
Full Circle and Cafe Turtle
In 2020, Cafe Turtle in Khan Market, Delhi and Full Circle, the book store that housed the cafe, was shut down. The cafe, which opened in December 2000, is known to have been the pit stop for writers, journalists, artists, book lovers, and travellers. Full Circle was started by publishers Poonam and Shekhar Malhotra, owners of Hind Pocket Books.
As we close our doors in Khan Market, we would like to THANK each and everyone for their support, love and affection for Full Circle and Cafe Turtle.
Special thank you to @kan_writersside @arunava https://t.co/VDX3R1XcCB pic.twitter.com/gmSB2z2EQ3— Full Circle Bookshop (@FullCircleReads) June 7, 2020
We will miss you!
— Ranjit Hoskote (@ranjithoskote) June 7, 2020
Ghantewala
Ghantewala, a 225-year-old sweet shop in Chandni Chowk, Delhi, shut down in 2015 after the owner said it was no longer profitable to run it. The shop was set up in 1790 by Lala Sukh Lal Jain, when Shah Alam II was the Mughal emperor of Delhi. Some of the iconic sweets available here were Karachi Halwa, Kaju Katli, Doda Barfi, Pista Barfi, and a special type of laddu called Andaaz-E-Halwai.
My fav sweet shop #Ghantewala is closed now
Been there recently wid my brother
‘ll miss d divine taste of #SohanHalwa pic.twitter.com/AudCd39B2R— Vishi Sinha (@vishisinha) July 2, 2015
Every time visiting #Delhi, there was a demand back home to purchase #SohanHalwa from #Ghantewala. Time is a giant killer.
— sagun baijal (@sagunbaijal) July 2, 2015
Regal Cinema
Delhi’s iconic single screen Regal cinema in Connaught Place was shut down in 2017, to reportedly turn it into a multiplex. The theatre was built in 1932 and served as a venue for ballets, plays, and talkies. It was once the site for the premiere of Bollywood and Hollywood films. The movie Gone with the Wind, for instance, had its premiere at the Regal in 1940. On its last day, Raj Kapoor-directed films Mera Naam Joker and Sangam were screened.
#Delhi’s Regal cinema hall will conclude its 84-year-old journey on March 30 with Raj Kapoor’s iconic cinema Mera Naam Joker & Sangam show. pic.twitter.com/F2DDxypWq5
— NBT Dilli (@NBTDilli) March 28, 2017
Chitra Cinema
Mumbai’s iconic Chitra cinema shut down in 2019 after running successfully for almost seven decades, ANI had reported. The single-screen auditiorium was closed due to “poor business”. The last movie to have been screened there was Student of the Year 2 at 9:30 pm. The cinema hall was reportedly on the first air-conditioned theatres in Mumbai.
Mumbai: Chitra Cinema, one of the oldest single screens in the city, shut down yesterday; the last show was at 9:30 pm. Owner Dara Mehta says, “business isn’t feasible now, there are limited audience & business on weekdays were poorer.” #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/GhRZkpvVpg
— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2019
Cafe Samovar
Mumbai’s iconic Cafe Samovar, which was once the favourite destination of intellectuals and celebs like Amitabh Bachchan, MF Hussain and VS Naipaul, among others, shut down in 2015, after running for over five decades. Surrounded by heritage buildings on all sides, the cafe was opened by Usha Khanna, niece of Bollywood star Balraj Sahni, according to hindustantimes.com. Here, people relished a variety of delicacies from mutton chops, vegetarian and keema parathas, lassi and dahi vada to varieties of tea and coffee, reportedly with guaranteed free replacement if anything was cold or got spilled.
Samovar was our favourite place during our 1970’s Navy days – so near Lion Gate.
— Commander Vikram W Karve (@w_karve) July 12, 2020
@sagarikavghatge Final cup of Nostalgia for Samovar Cafe- Fort Mumbai pic.twitter.com/3iKQrznZSA
— VISHAL DAVE (@vishaldave77) March 25, 2015
Rhythm House
This iconic music store in Mumbai shut shop in 2016, yielding to challenges of piracy and new technology, after running for almost seven decades. Established in 1948, the store near Kala Ghoda and Jehangir Art Gallery was known for its rich and diverse collection of music and movies. It was also frequented by celebrities like Mumtaz, Shammi Kapoor, AR Rahman, Zakir Hussain and others, according to a PTI article.
No more Rhythm. #rhythmhouse an iconic hangout in fort being closed tomorrow due to online downloads. pic.twitter.com/S75TqTQyub
— Jackie Shroff (@bindasbhidu) February 28, 2016
End of an era. #RhythmHouse Goodbye Sale. Marks the end of music CD’s & DVD’s. This is surely the #DigitalAge pic.twitter.com/Ync0Es46Zg
— Apurva (@Apurvasrani) January 23, 2016
Bourne & Shepherd
World’s oldest operational photography studio, located in Kolakta, shut down in 2016, after about 176 years, as reported by indiatoday.in. The iconic studio was set up in 1840 by British photographers Samuel Bourne and Charles Shepherd, and was deemed one of the most successful commercial photography studios. It had agencies across India, besides London and Paris too. The studio is credited with clicking the only known photograph of Swami Ramakrishna Paramhansa.
Bourne and Shepherd(Kolkata)_one of the world’s oldest photo studios downed its shutters after 176 years of service. pic.twitter.com/5yfeKs8QEj
— Dhanraj Nathwani (@DhanrajNathwani) June 18, 2016
Elite Cinema
Yet another iconic single-screen theatre, in Kolkata, closed its doors forever in 2018, after incurring huge losses, according to a businesstandard.com article. The cinema hall was opened in 1940 and is known to have been thronged by the Calcutta ‘elite’ at the time. Over the years, it has played host to several movie celebrities. Elite was once owned by Bourne & Shepherd.
Good Bye ELITE CINEMA
ONE more Single Screen CLOSED in Central Kolkata
A bit Emotional, hv lot of Memories at Elite
Wtr 1st Day 1st Shw #HumTum #Fanaa #JabTakHaiJaan
A Gigantic single scrn, had 1300+ Seats,
whre #Sholay ran for more dan 3 Years#EliteCinema pic.twitter.com/ziHLesJOpI— Rohitt Jaiswal (@rohitjswl01) April 18, 2018
This is a cruel month for the cinema lovers as curtains have come down on the iconic #EliteCinema since 1st June. Set up on 2nd August 1940. This happened due to huge loss from ticket sales as people nowadays prefer multiplex!Single screens are in danger!:(@DhoopAshwini
— Pallab Mazumdar (@ArtistPallab) June 9, 2018
Which of these places have you been to?
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