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There are heaps of amazing bookstores in NZ that have online stores. I'm gonna share a bunch here in a thread. Some are doing delivery deals at the moment but also I think you should support them even if they're not as it's a big cost for some very small businesses right now.
Wardini Books in Havelock North are run by two incredibly dedicated booksellers including Gareth Ward who is also a middle grade/YA author https://wardini.co.nz/ They're doing free delivery for people in their area.
Nelson's Volume is maybe the friendliest bookstore I've ever been in. They do lots of community events. They've closed the shop in person but are trialling free bike deliveries in Nelson or free pick up at the shop. Also have an amazing instagram https://volume.circlesoft.net/
the staff at @timeoutbooksnz in Mt Eden have been massively supportive of me and my book and are doing bike deliveries in Mt Eden at the moment, and also free courier if you spend $50 or more https://www.timeout.co.nz/
Hedley's Books in Masterton is (I think) the oldest bookstore in the country. They celebrated their 110th anniversary a couple of years ago. They have the amazing url http://www.booksonline.co.nz/ for their online store.
You all probably know them already but @unitybookswgtn are so successful for a reason. They're massively supportive (it's so amazing and rare that the NZ fiction table is the first thing you see when you walk in). they're doing free delivery atm http://unitybooksonline.co.nz/
And @UnityBooks Auckland don't have a webstore but they're officially the best bookstore in the world. They do an instagram story of their top 10 every week which is always very funny. You can order anything by email and they're doing free delivery [email protected]
and right next to Unity Auckland is Little Unity, a dedicated Children's bookstore. Ask @briarlawry for a recommendation because she knows more than almost anyone about children's books [email protected]
In my hometown there is Scorpio Books who despite having had to move too many times in the past decade because of the EQs are still going strong and have an amazing new(ish) shop in central chch. http://scorpiobooks.co.nz/
There is also University Bookshop Canterbury, which is a beautiful shop on campus and they do so much more than just university texts. https://ubscan.co.nz/
and in Dunedin there is University Book Shop Otago which is the most impressive University Book Store around and they're doing a 15% discount and free delivery at the moment with the code ' @Home'. They'll also drop books to your car parked outside https://www.unibooks.co.nz/
McLeods Booksellers in Rotorua are super community focussed and innovative. They do a book subscription box each month which might be what you need right now. https://www.mcleodsbooks.co.nz/
And finally, it might be my favourite bookshop in the country Twizel Bookshop is the perfect example of how to run a bookshop in a tiny town. They also have had the ideal Covid 19 response. https://www.twizelbookshop.co.nz/
I wasn't going to do another one but then I remembered @womensbookshop in Ponsonby who have been doing bookselling with a purpose for 30+ years. https://www.womensbookshop.co.nz/
Those are just off the top of my head but there are heaps more. Reach out to bookshops in your area or a small town you love. Especially if they're a tourist town because they'll be feeling the squeeze more than most. Shop at your faves but you can also make new faves. Thanks
Also you should all appreciate my restraint by not linking to the page where you can buy my book at each of the shops.
I know all of these shops because I worked for @BooksellersNZ for a couple of years. I've seen how hard book shop workers work behind the scenes and how dedicated they are. There is not a lot of money in bookselling so basically everyone in the industry does it for the love.
I just bought Carl Shuker's A Mistake from one of these shops. I don't have much money at the moment but I'll try to buy a book every couple of weeks. I'll be saving money from not going out anyway.
I guess it's too late now. I'll retweet when the lockdown lifts. These places will need support then.
