Wairarapa Bookshop Hop 2024
Once a year, the best booksellers in our beautiful region unite for the Wairarapa Bookshop Hop - a day that celebrates bookshops and the readers who support them.
Bookshop Day (or Bookstore Day) existing in many countries, and New Zealand Bookshop Day happens every year in October, usually on the second Saturday.
One of the (many) great things about Wairarapa is that we have 12 fantastic bookshops all within an easy 30 minute drive of one another.
We’re a mix of new and used bookshops, and we’re a very collaborative bunch. As well as working together on Bookshop Hop, we contribute to Featherston Booktown - held annually in May; and we do our part to support the biannual Yarns in Barns run by Hedley’s Books. We’re a very book-friendly valley!
How to Bookshop Hop
First things first, grab a Bookshop Hop Passport from the first store you visit. These are available in store, in the days leading up to Bookshop Hop.
Our pocket-sized guide gives you an introduction to each town and each bookshop, as well as a place to collect stamps as you travel. You’ll get a stamp at each store where you make a purchase.
At the end of the day, leave the stamped page of your passport with the last store you visit. There’s no pressure to visit every store, but each stamp you collect is one more entry into our prize draws for $1000 in bookshop vouchers!
As well as a chance to win prizes, most stores have special offers for the day, goodie bags, events, and even some delicious treats if you get in early.
With planning and a gentle eye for the clock, it's entirely possible to hop around all 12 bookshops in a single day. Mrs Floss and I tested this recently, starting out in Featherston at 10am. Our stays at each store were slightly extended because we wanted to take some photos, but we still made the entire round trip and back to Featherston by 5pm. You could easily do this route in reverse if you’re starting your day from Masterton.
Our Bookshop Hop Timetable
10:00 - 10:20 - Mr Feather’s Den
10:25 - 10:45 - Featherston Ferret
10:50 - 11:10 - For the Love of Books
11: 15 - 11:35 - Messines Bookshop
11:40 - 12:15 Dickensian Bookshop & Tearooms (we allowed a little extra time here because Millie was set on a cream scone and a pot of coffee!)
12:35 - 12:55 - Martinborough Bookshop
1:15 - 1:35 - Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop
1:40 - 2:00 - Hospice Bookshop
2:15 - 2:35 - Almos Books
2:40 - 3:00 - PaperPlus Carterton
3:20 - 3:40 - PaperPlus Masterton
3:45 - 4:05pm - Hedleys
Parking: I’ve allowed five minutes between stores situated in the same town, you’ll find parking easy around here and you only need to stretch your legs a few dozen steps between most stores.
Two things we didn’t allow for:
Lunch - I was already full from the delicious cream scone I had at Dickensian Bookshop and Tearooms so we didn’t need lunch. This schedule gives you wiggle room to add 40 minute break for lunch, and you’ll still see all the bookshops before they close.
Other Shops - For visitors from outside our region, the shops surrounding our bookstores can be quite alluring! This may impact your timeline. Further, if you’re bringing family or friends along who are not participating in the Bookshop Hop, you might want to refine your list to just a couple of towns. Do the others next time!
Mr Feathers Den
19 Fitzherbert Street
Featherston
‘The Den’ as it’s known to locals, is the southern gateway to our event - the first store you’ll come across if you’re joining us from Wellington or The Hutt.
The character of this store is obvious before you even walk through the front door - Sue always has a new collection to admire in the window or as part of her abundant exterior displays.
Always interesting to chat to, Sue might even be moved to share with you a line or two from her journal.
As well as a wide range of new and used books, there is a curated selection of ceramics, pottery, lamps, and taxidermy.
Hear Sue’s story in the Featherston Booktown Booklovers Trail app.
For the Love of Books
89 Fitzherbert Street
Featherston
One of our region’s most spacious independent bookshops, Jennifer Grey offers a huge selection of over 50,000 secondhand books!
She’s diligent about cleaning and categorising (no musty smells here!) and books are priced with coloured dots on the spine. There’s plenty of category signage so even with such a big collection the store is easy to navigate.
If you’re travelling with a group, there’s bound to be a book for everyone at For the Love of Books.
Listen to Jennifer tell her story in the Featherston Booktown Booklovers Trail app.
The Dickensian Bookshop and Tearooms
78 Fox Street
Featherston
Specialising in modern and classic literature Dave and Patsy Adams also stock an ever-changing selection of antiquarian books, collector’s and reference books, antiques and curios.
Dave is a wealth of knowledge about literature and carries many interesting first editions and rare books. If I want to know something about classic literature, I’d much prefer to ask Dave than the internet. Give him a few hints about the kind of stories you enjoy and he’ll put your next great read right in your hands.
Most recently, Patsy and Dave added a Tea Rooms to their offer. The Tea Rooms is a step back in time in the very best way - from the warm hospitality of the hosts to the vintage china your order is served on. Make sure to leave time in your schedule - and room in your belly - for the Dickensian Tea Rooms.
Come for the books, stay for the tea and scones!
Capturing a few notes along the way
Hear Patsy and Dave tell their story on the Featherston Booktown Booklovers Trail app.
Messines Bookshop
76 Fox Street
Featherston
Messines Bookshop is a mecca for anyone interested in military history and/or peace making across the ages.
The specialist focus on military books is rooted in Featherston’s own history as the location of New Zealand's only prisoner of war camp (which is located on the outsirkts of town). Featherston was also the site of a large army training camp base during the First World War.
The name Messines is in recognition of Featherston’s sister town in Flanders where troops trained at the Featherston Army Camp fought – and won – their first major battle of World War I.
Owners Daniel and Adele Richardson took over the store in July 2023 and this will be their first Bookshop Hop - stop in and say hello to them.
Featherston Ferret
40 Fitzherbert Street
Featherston
The incomparable Featherston Ferret. Featuring quality books from Aotearoa New Zealand and elsewhere.
The store is deceptively small but decidedly select. Go on, poke your nose in during Bookshop Hop!
The Martinborough Bookshop
6 Kitchener Street, Martinborough
The Martinborough Bookshop opened in 2019 in the centre of the Wairarapa’s bustling wine village.
Brenda Channer’s store operates on the motto: ‘Books You’ll Want to Keep’ and it’s a bookshop you’ll want to linger in too - with so much to look at and plenty of space to move around.
On the drive from Featherston to Martinborough you have just enough time to hear Brenda tell her story on the Featherston Booktown Booklovers Trail app.
Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop
93 Main Street
Greytown
Ok, so it feels a bit weird to talk about my own shop in the third person, but here goes:
Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop was once the site of the Greytown Library. In store, we aim to delight readers with curious minds and romantic souls. Our selection of all new books - weighted toward nonfiction - is accompanied by fine stationery, wood pencils and jigsaw puzzles.
Bookshop Hop is one of our favourite days of the year so you can be sure there will be goodie bags and other treats in store on Saturday, October 12th.
Hear me chat about Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop on the Featherston Booktown Booklovers Trail app.
Register for free for Bookshop Hop to stay in the loop, and for an extra chance to win a prize from $1000 in bookshop vouchers.
Hospice Wairarapa Bookshop
68a Main Street
Greytown
Truly a hidden Greytown gem! This is Hospice Wairarapa’s first year participating in Bookshop Hop and we’re thrilled to get more people in-the-know about this bookshop.
Tucked behind the Hospice Wairarapa store on Main Street, the bookshop is open Saturdays, and for Bookshop Hop they’ll have extended hours.
Check out their vintage book selection - charming and nostalgic cover art as far as the eye can see!
When you buy books from Hospice stores you’re helping to keep their services free of charge.
Almo’s Books
42 High Street South
Carterton
Steve Laurence at Almo’s Books aims to have a book about everything - and I know at least one other bookseller in the Wairarapa (including myself) who just loves a browse at Almo’s. It's always full of surprises.
Meet furry Millie at Almos 🐶
Have a coffee in the attached cafe, and then see for yourself what a great selection there is at Almo’s.
Steve himself is a great lover of literature and you can hear him and his co-host Gareth Rapson on their monthly radio show Booklovers Wairarapa on Arrow FM. They’re recorded so you can listen to some of the archive as well.
Have a listen to Steve’s interview for the Featherston Booktown Booklovers Trail app.
Register for free for Bookshop Hop to stay in the loop, and for an extra chance to win a prize from $1000 in bookshop vouchers.
PaperPlus Carterton
80 High Street
Carterton
At Paper Plus Carterton Kim, Tania and their team offer a wide selection of books, cards, stationery, toys and magazines. They also have a florist, gifts and homewares sections.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that PaperPlus is a chain store, they’re actually a cooperative, each one owned locally.
Somewhat unrelated - but definitely worth brining to your attention - is the fantastic art supplies section at PaperPlus Carterton. Since Greytown lost it’s art supplies store a few years ago we’re routinely sending visitors north for paints, brushes, and other supplies and they come back to thank us for the tip.
Heads-up: During Bookshop Hop you earn stamps for any purchase, so if something non-bookish catches your eye at PaperPlus Carterton (or any other store for that matter), you can still get a stamp on your passport.
PaperPlus Masterton
181/183 Queen Street
Masterton
Paper Plus has been a part of New Zealand since 1983 and Selina Griggs and Richard Hamilton have been at the helm of the Masterton store in 2022.
They have a HUGE and inviting children’s book section, and an adult range that includes a rotating list of about 15,000 titles - covering nearly every subject and every genre.
This is a PaperPlus that could rule them all! Be sure to stop in for a look.
Hear all about it from Selina and Richard in the Featherston Booktown Booklovers Trail app.
Register for free for Bookshop Hop to stay in the loop, and for an extra chance to win a prize from $1000 in bookshop vouchers.
Hedley’s Books
150 Queen Street
Masterton
Wairarapa’s most historic bookshop, David Hedley’s Grandfather established the business in 1907.
Alongside new and recent releases are rare books and prints, vinyl, and magazines. Hedley’s is known nationwide for it’s collection of music books and special editions. You don’t want to do Bookshop Hop without a stop at Hedley’s.
Hedley’s are also the organisers of the biannual Yarns in Barns festival. The next one happens this year, so pop a note in your calendar to revisit the website and see the full schedule.
Hear more from David in the Featherston Booktown Booklovers Trail app.
I hope you enjoyed this tour of the bookshops taking part in the Wairarapa Bookshop Hop in 2024 - as well as Mrs Floss’ fantastic photo essay.
Register for free for Bookshop Hop to stay in the loop, and for an extra chance to win a prize from $1000 in bookshop vouchers.
PS. It takes time, money and effort to participate in Bookshop Hop and for that reason it’s not for everyone. There are three other bookshops in the Wairarapa who are not participating (so you won’t get a stamp here), but if you’re a completist, you might like to visit these bookshops as well:
Chicken and Frog Children’s Bookshop, 3 Clifford Square, Featherston
Loco, 50 Fitzherbert Street, Featherston
Bear Flag Books and Retro, 230 Queen Street, Masterton
