Pinnacle Books is Wellington’s Mind Body Spirit specialist

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When Laurel and Colin Chiles bought their Wellington mind body spirit bookshop Pinnacle Books from Pathfinder founders Tim and Jennifer Eddington, Colin was, jokes Laurel, “one of the store’s best customers.” That was November 1995, and while Laurel had experience both as a librarian and with London Books, she was a novice in their specialist area. Today, that has turned around and Colin now defers to her book-buying experience

Pinnacle Books is well-sited in the Willis Street Village retail area, only a few metres from the busy intersection with Manners Street. From the start, they imported a lot of books to service their specialist market.

It must be the only store to put a handy map of their shop layout on their website, www.pinnaclebooks.co.nz, so when customers head for the store they know precisely where to look for their area of interest.

What’s more, there are no fewer than 46 different subject areas, ranging from ailments and Buddhism through the expected counseling, homeopathy, mind power, personal improvement and psychology to the occult, parapsychology and Western spirituality. Music CDs, tarot and oracle cards are in the mix, too.

Their current top seller is the Eckhart Tolle title New Earth with The Power of Now from the author’s backlist also strongly supported. Colin Chiles says books on Buddhism - a dogma free religion - are popular.

The Secret has spawned a variety of prosperity consciousness titles, and currently moving well are those written by Esther and Jerry Hicks, particularly Ask and it is Given and their latest The Vortex.

While Colin waits in vain for a ground swell of interest in Christian mystics, angels attract buyers. Laurel sees interest in astrology and yoga being maintained, and they both have noticed books about the possible ending of the world 2012 being bought in numbers. Colin agrees that a “bullshit detector” is needed at times, but says he’s seen people get help and support from unlikely sources which tempers skepticism.

“I should have taken a counseling course – when people come in for help they end up pouring their hearts out to us,” says Laurel. She and Colin are happy to spend time finding the right books for customers.

The Chiles say that since they bought the store in 1995 the turnover in their niche market has stayed stable. As part of the Great Independent Booksellers of Wellington association, they find fellow bookshops refer customers to Pinnacle for specialist titles that mainstream booksellers don’t carry. CDs and audio books are also stocked, with meditation music and meditation audio CDs most popular. Their website is a good contributor to the business, not only for the steady orders it generates but for customers who use the website and then visit the store to buy.

Christmas is not as big for Pinnacle as it is for general booksellers, but the beginning of the year sees a boost to sales as they sell books to students for courses in acupuncture, counseling, massage and natural healing.

Laurel, Colin and sons Michael, Gary and Steven bought Akasha Books in 2006. This is a wholesale distribution outlet for mind body spirit titles, and is run by the younger trio from premises in Paraparaumu. Laurel gets involved to help at GST returns time: “They just need reassurance to be sure they are getting it right.”

Despite being in their fifties when they bought Pinnacle Books, Laurel and Colin have no plans to retire. “You don’t know who you are going to meet when you come to the shop, and you have regular customers who become friends. I just think it is a great lifestyle,” says Laurel.

ENDNOTE: The Read asked Pinnacle Books for advice on any titles that would help motivate booksellers in the year ahead. Their suggestion: The Success Principles by Jack Canfield (Element Books, 9780007195084).