Chennai has the oldest bookstore in India

The captain of the ship he was on expelled him from the ship at Madras port after he was discovered onboard. He found employment as a librarian with a bookstore named Weslyan Book Shop run by Protestant missionaries. 

However, the store suffered heavy losses and the missionaries who ran the business decided to sell their shop at a low price. Higginbotham purchased the business, set up his own store and called it Higginbothams. Higginbothams started selling stationery and also publishing and printing own books from 1860s onwards. 

When Abel died in 1891, his son continued expanding the business with various outlets across south India. Now, the bookstore is run by The Amalgamations Group.