8 Independent Bookstores In New Zealand You Need to Visit
Last updated on 13 February 2023
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Looking for some independent bookstores in New Zealand?
New Zealand may be small, but we are full of independent bookstores. From the north all the way down to the depths of the south, there are plenty of independent bookstores in New Zealand to be discovered. And it’s an absolute joy to explore new ones when I’m travelling around this beautiful country.
This list I’ve compiled is by no means complete. There are hundreds of fantastic independent bookstores in New Zealand that I would love to visit. But these are 8 that I have frequented and that I recommend checking out.
Hard to Find Bookshop, Auckland + Dunedin
Hands down the best second-hand bookstore in the country (in my opinion), is Hard to Find Bookshop. The store itseld isn’t hard to find (even after moving their Auckland shop from Onehunga to Eden Terrace), but rather the books without. A higgledy-piggledy layout in an old building, with multiple floors and rooms, Hard to Find Bookshop could easily occupy you for several hours at a time. Don’t go in with a list of books you’re looking for; go in with an open mind and let the books find you.
Bookmark Second Hand Books, Auckland
A trip across the harbour on the Auckland ferry will have you wandering through the streets of Devonport. And there on the main street is Bookmark Second Hand Books. You’ll need to take your paycheck in with you, as the prices are higher than other second-hand shops, I’ve found, but the range of books is brilliant and I’m always discovering new things when I take a trip there.
Time Out Bookstore, Auckland
Award-winning and an absolute joy to visit, Time Out Bookstore is in the heart of Mt Eden, and while it’s small in size, it’s big in personality. Stocked with both popular novels and titles, and also lesser-known books, it’s a good thing Time Out Bookstore is located closer to my home. Whenever I visit I discover a new author to check out, an event to pop in my diary, and a book or two in my bag. It’s a beautiful shop and well worth the visit.
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Arty Bee Books, Wellington
Big and yellow, Arty Bee Books is hard to miss. Situated on Manners Street in Wellington, Arty Bee Books is one of the two bookstores in Wellington that I always visit when I’m in the capital. The other is Unity Books (see below). A little bit of everything dons the shelves in Art Bees; from history to children’s books, philosophy and religion to cooking. Craft to travel, and history to homegrown New Zealand titles. Like every second-hand store, you can’t go in with a book you’re looking for (I mean, you could, and the people at the desk will gladly look it up on the system for you), but an hour browsing through their books will see you leaving with a pile. Or at least a couple. They also have a small selection of new books, too.
Unity Books, Auckland + Wellington
My favourite of all of the independent New Zealand bookstores I’ve been in is Unity Books. With shops in both Auckland and Wellington, it’s a marvel I don’t spend more of my money here. Despite living in Auckland, I actually frequent the Wellington shop a lot more, perhaps due to its larger size (easier to navigate around when it’s busy), and the fact that I make a pointed effort to visit both Unity and Arty Bee Books in one morning/afternoon. I’ve come away from Unity Books with a good pile on more than one occasion.
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Jason Books, Auckland
Update: Jason Books has since shut down, unfortunately.
Known for its vast array of second-hand books, Jason Books is a below-street-level shop in central Auckland and is full of novels, non-fiction, art and history books, and more. Like any second-hand bookstore, you’d need a good amount of time to look through all they have.
Bookety Book Books, Online
New kid on the independent New Zealand bookstore block is Bookety Book Books. You don’t even have to leave the comfort of your sofa to check out their collection. Online-only, Bookety Book Books was started by Mandy, during lockdown: “We are THE book club of book clubs – a virtual sanctuary for the book-obsessed, where we literally can not get enough of those little bound books.” The titles they hold are not an everything-for-everyone vibe, but rather they feature a range of diverse authors, both from New Zealand and overseas. And their packaging is STUNNING.
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Matakana Village Books, Matakana
Heading up to the Matakana Markets on a Saturday? You can’t NOT stop into Matakana Village Books. As well as their clever ever-changing sandwich board on the footpath, Matakana Village Books is a beautiful wee shop, holding a selection of fiction, non-fiction, games, stationery, and art books. It’s the perfect getaway if you’re in the Northland region, and well worth stopping in even if you’re not attending the market.
So there we have it! 8 independent bookstores in New Zealand you should check out.
Which of these independent New Zealand bookstores have you been to? What other bookstores should I visit?
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