Announcement from Takapuna independent bookstore, The Booklover, pictured left.

Opportunities present themselves at the most uncanny of times

Three years ago, after extensive careers ‘on the other side’ of the book trade, the chance to escape the corporate world and become one’s own boss in a well-regarded independent bookshop, located close to home, became a reality with the purchase of The Booklover in Takapuna Beach. The immersion into the retail reality twelve weeks out from Christmas in a shop with no computer inventory, or point of sale, is now a blurred memory.
Three years on, plans were well afoot to slide into a well-prepared “relaxed” fourth Christmas trading season in Takapuna Beach when a second opportunity that could not be ignored suddenly appeared. After The Booklover, our most favourite independent – Dear Reader in Grey Lynn – was on the market: relatively close to home [read that as easy to get to and from Takapuna], unique environment, growth apparent in a rapidly changing neighbourhood. Justification balanced in the mind and not being ones to shirk a challenge, we have proudly adopted a sister for The Booklover.

Pic shows Helen & Tom at their wonderful bookstore, The Booklover in Takapuna.

Bookman Beattie wishes them & their extended family well. The life of an independent bookseller is not an easy one and to see people as capable and clever as these two expanding thier family is very good news for the reading public.