Wairarapa Bookshops and Bookshop Hop

Oct 27

One of the (many) great things about Wairarapa is we have 13 fantastic bookshops all within an easy 30 minute drive of one another, so it's entirely possible for you to hop around all 13 bookshops in a single day.

In fact, every year in honour of New Zealand Bookshop Day in October, we all come together to create the Wairarapa Bookshop Hop. In 2023, we gave away $1,000 in book vouchers, along with other extra surprises.

The game is simple: pick up a map at any participating bookstore, then collect a stamp from every store you visit and make a purchase. Each stamp is an entry in the grand prize drawing. Leave your map at the last bookshop you visit to be entered.

Even if you can't make it to the annual event, the list of bookshops is good to use any time of year — just be sure to check opening hours, especially if you're visiting during Winter when some stores modify their hours. Every shop on this list is just a 10–20 minute drive from our shop in Greytown, so it’s easy to visit all these excellent Wairarapa bookshops.

But who are these bookshops? Let’s explore.

Greytown Bookshops

Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop

It’s me! Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop opened in 2020 in a building that once housed the Greytown Library. You could say that books are in our DNA.

Martinborough Bookshops

Martinborough Bookshop

Brenda Gale is the owner of The Martinborough Bookshop: her lovely store is all new books and is housed in a hundred year old garage and petrol station just off Martinborough's popular main street.

Masterton Bookshops

Bear Flag

Mark and partner Kate run a true local treasure which bursts onto Masterton's Main Street every day with an irresistible mix of books, antiques, and collectables! This Masterton bookshop is delightfully photogenic.

Headley’s

This is the oldest family-owned bookstore in New Zealand, with 116 years of bookselling behind them.

Hedley's is a wonderful general Masterton bookstore, but if you have a particular interest in contemporary music then this should be your number one destination.

Masterson PaperPlus

If you've ever overlooked PaperPlus simply because it's a chain store, you're about to be schooled!

Masterton PaperPlus is locally owned by Selina Griggs and Richard Hamilton who took over the Masterson bookshop in late 2022. They are committed to supporting local authors who sit proudly alongside all the big names you'd expect to find in a store with 15,000+ titles!

Carterton Bookshops

Almos Books

Steve Laurence owns and runs Almo's Books on Carterton's Main Street.

They have one of the largest selections of new books in the Wairarapa, as well as a cafe where you can refuel during your book shopping.

Along with bookselling Steve is also a Councillor for the Carterton District, and he co-hosts a popular monthly radio show on Arrow FM with Gareth Rapson. Search 'Booklovers Wairarapa' on arrowfm.co.nz if you can't catch the live broadcast.

Carterton Paper Plus

A beloved chain since 1983, you’ll find everything you need at Carterton’s Paper Plus. This store also has one of the best collections of art supplies in our area.

Featherston Bookshops

Chicken and Frog

For anyone missing children’s books at Mrs Blackwell’s, you’ll find that Chicken and Frog, a specialty Featherston bookshop for children, more than makes up for the lack.

Dickensian Bookshop and Tea Rooms

Home of fine reading, cream teas and a varied selection of small antiques, porcelain, lead crystal and collectibles.

Born out of a dream to rescue literature and save our written heritage, the Dickensian Bookshop in Featherston is a secondhand bookshop specialising in the best of modern and classic literature. It is also the home of exquisite Devonshire Cream Teas and a selection of cakes and patisserie, all baked fresh on the premises from Thursday to Sunday.

Featherston Ferret

Owner Denise Eilers invites you to "poke your nose in" to the Featherston Ferret bookshop. This store with mostly secondhand books is sister store to their original Cuba Street location in Wellington.

For the Love of Books

If you’re used to used bookstores that feel cramped and crowded, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by For the Love of Books Featherston bookshop. They’ve deliberately designed the shop to be spacious, well organised and accessible with wide aisles and low shelves.

Mr Feather’s Den

Much loved and admired, Mr Feather's Den is a treasure trove of books and mid-century collectibles.

You are as likely to leave with a taxidermied bird or a new piece of pottery as you are to depart with a book, but either way, you won't regret your stop at this eclectic Featherston bookshop.

Messines Bookshop

Featherston also has an important place in New Zealand’s militarily history and Messines Bookshop specialises in titles covering military history across the ages, and for all ages.

Booklover’s Trail Audio App

Our friends at Featherston Booktown recently released an audio app Booklovers Trail Te Ara Pukapuka to connect you with the booksellers of the Wairarapa shops.

Think of it like a collection of podcast episodes. My absolute favourite part is that Jessie had each bookseller finish their interview with an excerpt from a book. I can listen to others read all day so that part is a real treat!

The app is free to download and is available for all devices: the Apple or Google apps are best if you want to listen on your phone, and there is a web version if you want to listen on your computer.

Thank you to Featherston Booktown for permission to use their images to promote Wairarapa Bookshop Hop.

Millie Blackwell

Mrs Blackwell is a bookseller from Greytown, New Zealand. Her bookshop in the village’s Main Street aims to delight the curious minds and romantic souls who cross its threshold. She frequently talks about herself in the third person.