We opened Lamplight Books on Parnell Road in June 2021. The day was balmy, and friends and family came out in force. After months of planning and preparation, it seemed incredible that books were leaving the store and money appearing in our bank account. And then, well, we all know what happened next…
Such a challenging start taught us some valuable lessons and in the years since opening, our foundations are now stronger. Our customers’ enthusiasm helped us see what was possible. They continue to discover and support us. We’ve learned the value of in-store chat, personal emails and putting a face to each interaction. We love hosting courtyard events, local get-togethers and our now famous green initiative – the annual bookswap, all for the people in our neighbourhood.
Parnell is not just full of residential readers and our shelves reflect the architects, designers and creative industries nestled on the side streets. We’ve built up a supply of niche art and design books by listening to their needs and put together orders for large construction projects in New Zealand, luxury home developments and hotels. Just last week a design class included us as a stop on their class field trip! We’re a part of the Rialto Architecture & Design Festival and in 2024 we were the first bricks-and-mortar bookstore to run the Aotearoa Art Fair Bookstall, which was a lot of fun. We were also invited to Britomart for the AWF Streetside programme, with a pop-up store showcasing our range of killer literature.
We know we’ve got a long way to go and there are so many things we’re impatient to get to. What have we learnt? That headwinds are to be expected and they’re never personal. That fun is necessary. The fact of retail means it’s our job to get people off their sofas and office chairs and across town and to make it something they want to repeat. Investing in fancy packaging is worth it. Curiosity is essential. Ordering the right books is pure alchemy. Treat your local couriers nicely. People are basically good, and listening is an under-rated public service. Putting a good book in someone’s hand is still one of the best cheap thrills around and Spotify audiobooks and kindles are no match for the beauty and promise of a crisp white page.
We’re a tight team – with the two owners, Courtney and Melanie, and a few lovely part-timers. We’re grateful to be part of the bookselling community and to know our problems are shared. We hope, above all, for bookselling to be a rewarding and lasting career!


