Kim Pittar is the proud owner of Gisborne's Muirs Bookshop which celebrates 120 this July, making it one of NZ's oldest independent bookshops. Photo / Kim Parkinson
Kim Pittar is the proud owner of Gisborne's Muirs Bookshop which celebrates 120 this July, making it one of NZ's oldest independent bookshops. Photo / Kim Parkinson
Muirs Bookshop on Gisborne’s Gladstone Rd celebrates 120 years this July, making it one of the oldest independently-owned bookshops in New Zealand.
Owner Kim Pittar says it is a bittersweet occasion.
“A lot of people do their very best to support locally, but many are never seen in local shops,”she says.
“The more people who shop locally, the more shops will remain in their main streets, the town will be more vibrant, there will be more jobs available and more people to eat at cafes and just be in town generally because it’s a more pleasant place to be.”
Pittar said it was up to Gisborne people to decide what kind of town they wanted.
“Do you want a place to be proud of, or a deserted, scruffy, unkempt bunch of buildings with nothing behind the dirty glass shop fronts,” she said.
The bookshop was opened on July 22, 1905, as a stationery and bookshop by Charles William Muir, at the front of what was the Gisborne Herald building.
At that time, it was The Poverty Bay Herald and was owned by Allan Muir, Charles’ father.
Charles ran the bookshop until he died in 1943.
The shop was then purchased by Bowser Toogood, who was married to a niece of Charles.
In 1953, Vivienne Quigley joined the staff, and in 1983, she purchased the shop from Bowser. Three years later, Quigley sold the shop back to the Muir family, to Anne and Michael Muir.
Anne and Michael were also the owners of The Gisborne Herald by then.
They purchased the larger building next door, extended out the back and in 2006 added a cafe to the top floor.
Anne Muir ran the bookshop until 2008, when she and Michael sold the shop to Kim and Guy Pittar.
Kim has run the bookshop since then.
Over the years, Muirs Bookshop has hosted many author events, on-site and in larger premises, and employed Gisborne locals, including many students saving to go to university.
Last year, the bookshop moved premises up one block, closer to the more central shopping area, as empty shops increased and foot traffic decreased in the original block.
The original building, owned by the Gisborne Herald, was going on the market to be sold.
The new premises are bright, warm and well stocked with new books.
Pittar said they decided to drop the second hand section due to a lack of space.
“But the books being published today are as good as they have ever been.
“Publishing companies do an amazing job, working with their authors to produce the finest fiction, non-fiction and children’s books that anyone could want, across multiple genres.”
