Our local much-loved book store Dear Reader has recently changed hands.
What do you love about your community?
It all started in Grey Lynn where we met in the early 1980s. We have lived here since 1989 and our daughters were born in Grey Lynn. They went to local schools so, as a family, this is where we made our friends. Grey Lynn Park is fantastic and so is the community. The bookshop feels like a social gathering at times. West Lynn has a vibrant atmosphere and the shops are really interesting and quirky. One thing that has really touched us is the overwhelming support we have received, not just from family and friends, but from the community as a whole. We have also been given great encouragement from other independent bookshop owners. We feel privileged.
What makes your team special?
Rachel, who has worked in the shop for years, is a mine of information and has extraordinary energy. It's a bit of a family affair. David is the main mover and shaker. His first love was reading. He wrote to C.S. Lewis when he was eight years old; he still has the letter Lewis sent back to him. Our daughter Mary is working in the shop and she has great ideas about books for her generation. She has also set up a Facebook page. I teach and play the piano so plan to become more involved in the shop in the school holidays. Our other daughter Kate lives in Wellington and she has introduced us to writers such as Miranda July.
What does reading offer?
In the past few weeks we have witnessed a shocking and divisive election result in the United States, earthquakes in Kaikoura and Wellington, and the passing of much-loved artists. Reading is a fantastic comfort. Books can be an insight into a world of experiences otherwise unknown to us. Books can give us knowledge, challenge us, affirm us and make us cry or laugh out loud. An international survey found that reading was the number one form of relaxation regardless of your cultural background. We have been thrilled to see so many parents come in with their kids - that's where it begins.
DEAR READER, 436 Richmond Road, T: 09 360 0383, www.dearreader.co.nz