Tawa Books & Post began its journey in 1992 as a family-run business, with Karen and Steve at the helm in the heart of the Tawa Mall. In 1994, the addition of an NZ Post franchise broadened our offerings, and in 1999 we made our second big move – this time to the Main Road, becoming a Books & More franchise. It was then that Rowena joined the team full-time, and in 2005 we welcomed Kiwibank into the mix. When Books & More was acquired by Paper Plus, we transitioned into a Take Note store.
Over the years, we’ve seen many changes, but our core values have remained the same: community, connection, and a love for books.
In 2020, as the world shifted during Covid, so too did our family. Karen and Steve found themselves ready for retirement, and Paul (son-in-law and brother-in-law) stepped in – leaving the corporate world behind for the vibrant, hands-on life of small business ownership. The timing couldn’t have been better. In 2021, we became Tawa Books & Post – an independent bookstore offering a wide selection of books, board games, art supplies, stationery, greeting cards and puzzles. We’re also home to three essential services, NZ Post, Kiwibank, and NZ Fingerprinting – a unique combination that keeps our suburban store humming.
Paul and Rowena have found balance and compatibility, as they take responsibility for the various leading roles in the store. When Rowena took on the role of Book Buyer, favourite childhood memories came flooding back – those once-a-week visits to Porirua Public Library, walking in and seeing the sheer volume of stories available, and the feeling of “Where oh where to begin?” It was always so exciting. With this love of variety, the role of Book Buyer has been a steep learning curve – and always will be. So far, one of the most enjoyable and exciting discoveries is the richness and diversity of books coming out of Oceania, with Māori voices leading the way. Paul has been pleasantly surprised how much his strategic lens and marketing instincts are proving to be invaluable assets in shaping the store’s offerings, bringing not only a strong focus on cost management to strip out unproductive costs, but also identifying product lines like board games that tap into social connection, learning, and fun, a perfect extension of what Tawa Books & Post represents.
We’ve also spent a lot of time working with local schools to build relationships, not only with their librarians, but also to provide a school stationery offering that delivers value and ease to their parents. It’s been a fantastic initiative that has generated $10,000 in donations to our local schools since we began. All while gently guiding foot traffic toward Rowena’s beautiful book curation.
One thing we never take for granted is that the real heart of Tawa Books and Post is our team. Gaylene and Dana (mother and daughter), and Sharon (long time Tawa worker and NZ Post expert) provide the friendliest customer service around. We have fun at work, and we enjoy our lovely customers. With the support of our wonderful community and the brilliance of our team, there’s no better place to be.
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