The Hunterville Village Bookshop will fascinate shoppers from the elderly browser to the tiniest tots.

It has an electic mix of wonderful books, toys, edgy ornaments, silk flowers and kitchenare designed to be daringly different.

Owner Kelsey Smith, a Hunterville resident, is proud of her shop .. actually shops for there are pop-up shops either side.

One is an antique shop which is more like a beautiful salon from the 19th century. And the other, cutely named Molly Mabel's, will appeal to girls of all ages.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

This little light-filled space features softly knitted pieces for kids including comfy little cardis, precious beanie hats with rosebuds on top, and hangers with many coloured cotton frocks.

Named after Ms Smith's granny this little shop has really put the Q in quirky.

It is sweet to discover funny little old syrup tins, baking powder cannisters and even old glass dishes not seen for years.

In her main shop Ms Smith has searched far from her usual zones and has been able to access the hugely popular adult Ladybird books.

Two British men, Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris, are the authors of the new Ladybird books for grown-ups, which marry archive art from the Sixties through to the Eighties with modern-day social observation. They include Taking a Sickie, Hangovers and Overdrinking.

Their tome on mindfulness can be found next to the tills of every gift shop in the land. They say they even know of vicars handing out The Husband and the Wife to couples they have just married.

Kelsey Smith laughs saying she loves the books and was very happy to get them. "My shops are all about people having a really good and enjoyable browse.''

She even has tall vases with elegant fake flower arrangements in studied spaces about the shop. She was stunned when a customer asked to buy the vase with the arrangement in it. But she didn't turn a hair.

"I quickly grabbed a roll of ribbon and wrapping paper and got to work. It actually looked really lovely when I'd finished so everyone was happy.''

Ms Smith's role as shop owner is far removed from her previous life managing private rest homes.

"I love being here in my shops and planning all the spaces all the time.''

From stationery to exquisite antiques, whimsical babywear and gorgeous glossy books, she said that each day she rehouses or finds a new treasure. "It's fun and so me.''