Australian bookshops respond to Covid-19

18 March 2020 Books+Publishing

Australian booksellers, like many retailers, are facing a big challenge right now. At this stage some shops have moved to online only, but many stores remain open and are trying to operate as if it is business as usual.

In a time of social distancing and self-isolation, and with most bookshop events cancelled, readers still want to make use of the extraordinary service and expertise that booksellers are providing in these exceptionally trying times.

We are collating a list of bookshops across the country to share how booksellers are responding to the crisis. Please email news@booksandpublishing.com.au to add your shop to the list.

ACT

Dymocks Belconnen is offering free delivery to customers in the ACT and Murrumbateman
Dymocks Canberra is offering free postage in the ACT until further notice (Dymocks City store only)
Robinsons Bookshop is currently open except for late night trading, online ordering available

NSW

Sydney

Abbey’s Bookshop (including Abbey’s Language Book Centre and Galaxy Bookshop) has temporarily closed its doors to customers but abbeys.com.au is powering online. Customers who prefer to speak with staff to order can phone between the reduced hours of 10am-5pm Monday to Friday. Orders can also be made by email. Abbey’s ships Australia-wide and overseas.
Beachside Books (Avalon Beach) is offering free local delivery, free shipping Australia-wide on orders over $50 and lots of car-park pick-ups outside their two shops
Better Read Than Dead (Newtown) is offering free shipping to anywhere in Australia until the end of March
Bookoccino is now closed Sundays, open 8am–3pm & offering free delivery between Narrabeen and Palm Beach, & orders over $50 free shipping Australia wide
The Bookshop Darlinghurst remains open 7 days a week and is currently offering double loyalty points in-store and online. Phone orders and online orders attract free postage Australia-wide if you spend $75 or more.
Constant Reader (Crows Nest) has put together a list of reading suggestions
Gertrude & Alice (Bondi) is providing home delivery of books.
Gleebooks (Glebe) is offering free postage to anyone in the Inner West, or Australia-wide for orders over $50
Harry Hartog (all stores) remains open for business and is curating individual reading lists via an online form; introducing a live chat function its website; and inviting customers to call to chat to booksellers about what to read next. They’re also encouraging pick-ups via GoFetch and Airtasker for those who can’t make it in-store
Kinokuniya is currently trading to adjusted hours, they have opened their phone lines for book recommendations from their staff and they’re offering free shipping for phone & webstore orders over $25.
Lost in Books (Fairfield) has temporarily closed its physical store, but is offering its creative programs digitally, while its online shop will remain open
Oscar and Friends is offering free delivery in Surry Hills, Redfern, Double Bay and Bellevue Hill
Potts Point Bookshop will be doing free local delivery for orders on its website or placed over the phone.
Roaring Stories (Balmain) is open after a period of store refurbishments. Max 2 customers in store at once & social distancing practiced, curbside collection available for pre-orders via phone/ email, credit card only, free delivery to Balmain, Rozelle, Lilyfield, Drummoyne, Birchgrove and Hunters Hill.
Sappho Books Cafe & Wine Bar now have their online secondhand bookshop up and running. All orders over $40 have free postage in Australia.

Regional

Book Bazaar (Umina Beach) is offering local delivery
The Bookshop Bowral & Kiama is offering home delivery to local customers
Candelo Books (Bega) is offering to drop off or post out books bought online
Collins Booksellers Orange is offering free delivery in Orange plus free online shipping for orders over $50
Dymocks Nowra is still open and offering free delivery within the Shoalhaven area, call or email shop to order
Harbour Bookshop (Ulladulla) taking orders via phone, email and social media messaging, deliveries are via Australia Post and to anywhere in the Ulladulla area for a flat $6 rate
The Little Lost Bookshop (Katoomba) is offering free delivery to Katoomba for phone, web and email orders
Megalong Books (Leura) is offering free home delivery for the upper mountains on purchases of $30 or more, either by phone or by adding the note ‘delivery’ at checkout online
Reader’s Companion (Armidale) is offering free local delivery to customers in Armidale, Uralla, Guyra district, delivering in their orange and white Kombi
The Sitting Wombat (Forster) is currently trading as usual
The Turning Page (Springwood) is trading normal hours, and providing free delivery to local addresses and $10 postage to anywhere else.
The Wandering Bookseller (Katoomba) is offering free delivery Australia-wide on all books bought over email.

Northern Territory

Darwin

The Bookshop Darwin is offering three books for the price of two across its range.

Regional

Red Kangaroo Books (Alice Springs) will deliver books purchased via phone or email. With care we are continuing to trade in the Todd Mall, for now opening hours are Mon – Fri 9am to 2.30pm, Sat 9am – 2pm. We will continue to trade until the Government advises us otherwise. When you visit our store, you will notice our front door is closed. We are asking our customers to knock on the door to be let in. We are also limiting the number of people in our store to two (as per the new rules issued by the Government on 29 March 2020).

Queensland

Brisbane

Avid Reader (West End) is offering free shipping on all orders in surrounding suburbs and free shipping nationally for all orders over $50. Now offering a drive by pickup service.
The Book Merchant Jenkins is still posting books ordered online, over the phone or email, and offering quarantine book boxes for sale or free of charge to locals already in quarantine with no income
Books@Stones (Stones Corner) is offering free delivery to anywhere in Australia for all purchases, until 8 April
Dymocks Brisbane is offering free shipping on orders over $75
Folio Books (CBD) is offering free postage on two or more books within the Brisbane area
The Mad Hatters Bookshop in Brisbane and we are currently offering free delivery in our local area (Wynnum Manly & surrounding suburbs) as well as free shipping anywhere in Australia on orders $75 and over.
Riverbend Books (Bulimba) is donating a total of 30 copies of select books to the elderly and those at risk. Now offering tap ‘n’ go drive-through books—simply order over the phone or online and collect your books from the car park without even getting out of the car!

Regional

The Book Tree (Toowoomba) now has free home delivery service to the 4350 postcode
Collins Booksellers (Smithfield) is offering free delivery to the local area, no late night shopping on a Thursday.
Dymocks Toowoomba is offering free delivery to people over 70 and $2 shipping in the local area. Some customers might even get their books hand-delivered by franchise owner Janelle Fyson by motorbike!
Mary Who? (Townsville) have re-opened for browsing (and buying!) – Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm (closed Sundays, for the time being).
Free deliveries for orders over $50 within a 5 km radius of shop.

South Australia

Adelaide

Imprints Booksellers is offering free postage anywhere in SA for orders of $50 or more, and free home delivery (within 2-3 days) extensively within the Adelaide region: from the beach to the foothills, and Bedford Park to Port Adelaide
Harry Hartog (Glenside) remains open for business and is curating individual reading lists via an online form; introducing a live chat function in its website; and inviting customers to call to chat to booksellers about what to read next. They’re also encouraging pick-ups via GoFetch and Airtasker for those who can’t make it in-store
Matilda Bookshop (Stirling) is offering same-day delivery to local areas.
ReadeBook Rundle Mall (Adelaide) is offered free delivery 20km from the CBD for orders over $30, call the shop to order

Regional

Jeff’s Books (Strathalbyn) is offering delivery over the phone, English studies advice and free cookbooks with the aim of helping people use their imagination with limited supplies at the one local supermarket in the district.
The Raven’s Parlour (Tanunda) will deliver books to local residents in quarantine or self-isolation.

Tasmania

Hobart

Fullers Bookshop will be running a daily guided reading of the Sonnets – details here and a $5 flat-rate shipping within Tasmania
The Hobart Bookshop is offering free delivery within the Hobart metropolitan area as well as continuing to use Australia Post for deliveries further out. The store has also had a few elderly customers express discomfit at the idea of coming into the shop, so they are offering a ‘Park and Run’ service: if they park nearby, they will run out to meet them. New shop hours: Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sunday 10am-5pm.
Robinsons Bookshop is currently open except for late night trading, online ordering available.

Launceston

Petrarch’s Bookshop doors are closed but they are open for business. Orders via phone, email or online. Responds to enquiries between 9am-2pm weekdays. Free local delivery (7248/7249/7250) Statewide for $10.

Regional

The Devonport Bookshop is offering free delivery in the Devonport area for prepaid phone orders.

Victoria

Melbourne

Avenue Bookstore (Richmond, Albert Park, Elsternwick) is offering free delivery locally for orders of $30 or more
Benn’s Books (Bentleigh) is open 10am to 2pm Mon–Sat (closed Sundays) and are offering free delivery for surrounding suburbs.
Brunswick Bound (Brunswick) is offering free delivery for surrounding suburbs
Dymocks Camberwell & Tooronga doors are open, encouraging emails, & have many delivery options available, different price/speeds, offering free delivery to locals in Camberwell, Glen Iris, & Hawthorn East. Send them an email
Dymocks Melbourne (CBD) have closed their doors, however staff are available over the phone/ email Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, offering free standard post on orders of $50 or more.
Fairfield Books is offering free local delivery to Fairfield, Northcote, Thornbury, Alphington and Ivanhoe
The Grumpy Swimmer (Elwood) is offering free delivery on orders over $25 to Elwood and surrounding suburbs
Hill of Content (CBD) is offering free online shipping for orders over $50
Jeffreys Books is open for in-store and online purchases, free local delivery and flat $8 postage Australia-wide
The Leaf Bookshop (Ashburton) is offering delivery within a 5km radius of the shop
Metropolis Bookshop (CBD) is offering free delivery for orders over $50
My Bookshop (Hawksburn) doors are closed however open for business and is offering free home delivery for customers living within a 10km radius of the shop. See website for more details.
Neighbourhood Books/The Little Bookroom (Northcote, Carlton North) are offering free delivery for surrounding suburbs
North Melbourne Books is offering free home delivery to North and West Melbourne
Pictures & Pages (Coburg) is offering free local delivery
Readings is offering free delivery in local areas and free delivery elsewhere in Australia for orders of $150 and over
Robinsons Bookshop is currently open except for late night trading, online ordering available
The Sun Bookshop/The Younger Sun (Yarraville) are offering free delivery locally
Top Titles Bookstore (Brighton) is offering free delivery locally, call the shop to arrange details.

Kill Your Darlings editor Alan Vaarwerk has created a coverage map showing which Melbourne booksellers deliver to where.

Regional

Antipodes Bookshop & Gallery (Sorrento) is offering twice-weekly free delivery to surrounding areas
Blarney Books and Art (Port Fairy) is offering free local delivery and a 10% discount on all books
Cow Lick Books is taking online orders & providing free delivery in a 15km radius of Colac
Collins Booksellers Warrnambool is currently trading regular hours, but offering click and collect, free delivery across the district from Panmure to Koroit, flat rate shipping elsewhere for $6.95 and helping customers browse via Facebook messenger photos where requested.
The Book Bird (Geelong) is offering free local delivery to surrounding suburbs by vintage bike
The Bookshop at Queenscliff (Queenscliff) is putting together curated Covid Care Packages and offering free delivery for online orders within the postcode 3225
The Bright Bookshop (Bright) is trading Tues-Sat 10:30am-5pm.
Farrell’s Bookshop (Mornington) is offering a free home delivery service to most of the Mornington Peninsula on orders over $25, with set delivery days and windows for particular suburbs, online store is now open.
Galapagos Bookstore (Apollo Bay) is currently open & online, will deliver free to the lovely locals & those hesitant to be out & about.
Ink Bookshop (Mansfield) is offering free delivery in the town and surrounding areas
Intext Book Company order via website postage is now free for orders over $50 including GST.
Just Books (Bairnsdale) are offering free home delivery to customers in Bairnsdale, Lakes Entrance and everywhere in between.
Northern Books has started a ‘Books on Subscription’, subscribers in the Castlemaine district receive free home delivery while there is a flat $9.99 postage fee for all other areas of Australia.
Red Door Books (Lancefield) happy to take orders, deliver, post, & meet by appointment.
Squishy Minnie (Kyneton) is hosting online storytime for a week (beginning Thursday 19 March) and offering free delivery of online orders within the Macedon Ranges
Torquay Books trading online with free delivery to local homes
Turn the Page (Cowes) will be taking phone and email orders and through face book if closed, currently trading
Verso Books (Healesville) is offering free local delivery to local customers.

Western Australia

Perth

Beaufort Street Books (Mount Lawley) is offering free delivery within a 5km radius
Caerwen Books online sales are continuing as normal, posting Australia wide
Crow Books (East Victoria Park) is offering free delivery to the local area, currently on normal trading hours
New Edition (Fremantle) is offering free delivery to the local area, currently on normal trading hours
Paperbird Books (Fremantle) is offering free delivery to Fremantle and surrounding suburbs
Planet Books (Mt Lawley & Northbridge) is offering free local delivery, and operating standard trading hours
Rabble Books & Games (Maylands) is offering free delivery to surrounding suburbs.

Regional

Collins Bunbury is offering free home delivery on purchases over $30 to the Bunbury/Eaton/Australind/Dalyellup region
Dymocks Busselton is offering free home delivery within the South-West, with same-day delivery for in-stock books ordered before 2.30pm.
Read A Lot Books is trading normal hours offering home deliveries, free to inner suburbs and a small fee to outer suburbs.

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