A legacy spanning 75+ years

The story of Premier.

The year was 1950, a time before Kerala became a state and before Thiruvananthapuram, or Trivandrum as we know it today, became the capital city. At Ayurveda College Junction stood a small 100 sq. ft. shop selling soap, powder, and general provisions. It wasn't doing particularly well, could accommodate just three customers at a time, and its owner was looking to let it go.

Shri Ananthaswamy, a young entrepreneur and the eldest son of a middle-class family, happened to come by. He was running a handicrafts business specialising in ivory carvings, but when he looked at the shop, he saw what others hadn't. He saw a city that was about to grow.

New government offices and independent businesses were appearing across the city, and they all needed the basics: paper, pens, ink, account books and receipts. The shop was also conveniently located near the city's government institutions, colleges and hospitals.

The location was right. The timing was right. Shri Ananthaswamy bought the shop and established Premier Office Equipment Co. And his hunch paid off.

Customers kept coming, and the little shop began to build an identity of its own in the heart of the city. He was soon joined by Premier's first two employees, Shri Govinda Pillai and Shri Krishnan Kutty, who played an important role in shaping the early success of the business.

Growing with the city

In many ways, the story of Premier mirrors the story of our beloved city, Trivandrum.

We grew with the city. With its artists and creatives, administrators, doctors and lawyers, schools, colleges and universities, financial institutions and hospitals. As the city grew, so did its needs. And we kept expanding our range to meet them.

We grew from a neighbourhood stationery retailer into a trusted supplier for the city's businesses and institutions. Along the way, we built something that mattered just as much as the products we stocked: long-lasting relationships with the people and organisations we served.

A place for every generation

Today, when families walk into our stores, our hearts fill with pride and happiness, knowing that some have been shopping with us for generations.

Parents can come to Premier for everything their children need for a new school year: pens, books, notebooks, bags and more. Artists can find canvases, brushes, paints, and all the other materials they need to bring their ideas to life. Business owners and office managers count on us to keep their workplaces running smoothly, whether they are stocking up on daily paper and files or investing in essential gear like paper shredders and cash counters. And then some wander in just looking for a bit of inspiration, and always manage to find a unique, thoughtful gift they didn't even know they were looking for.

That is what we have always wanted Premier to be: a place where you can come looking for one thing and discover many more possibilities.

From one to many

Trivandrum has changed enormously since 1950. The capital has grown. New neighbourhoods have emerged. Technology and new businesses have changed the way people work. And the city's creative culture has continued to evolve.

Premier has grown with it. Our Kesavadasapuram store brought our range closer to another part of the city. The Technopark store followed, serving a new generation of professionals and businesses. Today, Premier has three stores and more than 24,000 sq. ft. of retail space, with 10,000+ products from 200+ trusted brands.

But when you look around our stores, the people walking through our doors still feel remarkably familiar. Students. Artists. Teachers. Professionals. Parents. Businesses. Institutions. Different generations, different needs, but all looking for something that helps them learn, work, create, or simply get things done.

More than just numbers

After 75 years, it would be easy to look at Premier just through numbers. Three stores, 24,000+ sq. ft., 10,000+ products, 200+ brands… But for us, the story has always been about much more than numbers.

It is about a student buying their first set of notebooks. An artist choosing their paints and canvas. An office coming in for its monthly stationery requirements. Someone discovering a fountain pen they will use for years. An institution returning to us because they know they can rely on us.

These are the everyday moments that have made Premier part of the city's cultural fabric.

What comes next

The Trivandrum of 1950 could hardly have imagined the city it would become. And, perhaps, Shri Ananthaswamy couldn't have imagined what that little 100 sq. ft. shop would grow into.

But the idea that started it all still feels relevant today: understand where the city is going, understand what its people need, and be there for them. As the city continues to change, learn, create, and build its next chapter, we hope to be there for it too.

The shop may have grown. The city certainly has. And our story continues.