The children's section of Paige's Book Gallery now has its own space next to the main bookshop. Photo / Bevan Conley
Whanganui’s boutique shops selling books and “old-school” audio recordings are attracting ever-growing numbers of local customers, as well as out-of-town collectors. Liz Wylie talked to the business owners and customers to find out why the old technologies are still loved in the digital age.
Lesley Stead opened Paige’s Book Gallery on Guyton St in 2006, and it has continued to grow in both customer numbers and floor space.
As a voracious reader, Stead knew there were many of her kind who loved the smell of printers’ ink and the pleasure of opening a brand-new hard-copy edition as much as she did.
“In this world of uncertainty we’re living in, books are a comfort,” Stead said.
“There is something so reassuring about settling into a comfortable spot and experiencing the joy of a good book. E-books just don’t provide that satisfying, sensory experience.”
A former teacher, Stead had also worked in publishing as a proofreader and editor.
In the past three years, Paige’s has expanded from one shop space to three, with a designated children’s bookshop next to the main shop and the Lockett Gallery - an exhibition space for illustrators’ work on the opposite side of Guyton St.
Having a mother who read to her instilled a love of books in Stead, and her children and grandchildren now share that love.
Stead’s daughter Renee Hassan said she preferred the hard-copy format, no matter the weight when travelling.
“My husband has suggested that I should take a hand-held Kindle device rather than books when we go on holiday, but it’s just not the same,” she said.
“Books are such a sensory experience, and I just don’t get the same enjoyment when reading in digital format.”
Regular Paige’s customer and book club member Dawn Ferguson said she was primarily a novel reader.
“I’m going through a crime fiction phase at the moment, but I read all kinds of novels,” she said.
“As a former teacher, I’m always interested in new children’s literature as well.”
Ferguson said she made a “brief foray” into reading books on a Kindle.
“It could never replace [hard-copy] books for me, but I think it has its uses. We travelled for a while, and its portability made it very convenient for that,” she said.
“I also think it can be great for people with visual challenges, and the audio is helpful as well.”
Book club member Helen Budd has given a lot of consideration to the merits of hard-copy and digital formats, having written a thesis on the topic for her Master’s degree.
“I read news stories online and I use digital technologies often if I’m travelling or when I have been in hospital,” she said.
“Hard-copy books, however, have different sizes, designs and interesting covers that you can touch, and they are always my preference when I’m home.”
While there is pleasure to be found in opening a brand-new book for the first time, some readers find gratification in opening an old book that is well-thumbed and rich with lignin compounds said to produce a vanilla-like aroma.
Cam Dale loves the smell and feel of pre-loved books, which is why he has become the new owner of Book Hunters on Ridgway St.
In his top pocket is a copy of The Little Book of Calm. It’s a reference to the English TV series Black Books which fans of the show will get, and those who are curious can visit the shop to find out more.
He bought the business, along with its collection of around 60,000 books, from Daniel West, who had owned it for two years.
“I’ve rearranged things a bit and added a reading space for children,” Dale said.
“I’m a former teacher with a pretty good knowledge of children’s literature titles, and we have some great ones here.”
Adult readers can also browse comfortably inside or pop out the back door with their purchase to the Ambrosia Delicatessen & Cafe courtyard and order a coffee to enjoy while reading.
While many book lovers held on to their hardbacks in the digital age, vast numbers of vinyl record listeners carted off their collections to the op-shops 30 years ago as they replaced their treasured discs with CD versions.
Streaming and download services now make up the majority of album sales; however, vinyl has made a remarkable comeback over the last 10 years, and record shops have also made a comeback.
Ron Fisher opened the Vinyl Room at 56 Victoria Ave this year, offering pre-loved selections and new pressings supplied by Holiday Records in Auckland which retail for around $80.
He has never stopped listening to vinyl and said he was lucky enough to be given his parents’ excellent collection.
“It seems expensive, but collectors don’t mind paying to have an album they love on vinyl,” Fisher said.
“A lot of people are rebuilding their collections and they want to hear the vinyl sound, but they also want to see the covers in full size as well.”
There are some rare original pressings on display, including a box set of The Beatles’ catalogue, along with aa cassette version.
“A 17-year-old is interested in those,” Fisher said.
“She seems to be one of a growing number of young Beatles fans.”
Two young shoppers were browsing the CD displays looking for copies of albums they had already purchased online.
Jules and Willow, both 19, said it would be great to have a hard copy of the artist’s work.
“It’s more tangible, somehow,” Jules said.
The two are not vinyl collectors at this stage.
“That’s only because I haven’t got anything to play them on,” Willow said.
If they do decide to become vinyl lovers, Fisher can help with that. He has turntables and speakers for sale and knows a couple of local experts who can restore and repair old stereos.
“They were made to last and made to be repairable,” Fisher said.
The Vinyl Room is a space that invites customers to linger, with inviting decor and a comfortable retro armchair and sofa. Mike Marsh portraits of David Bowie and Alice Cooper grace the walls, and Fisher said both had been sold while hanging in the shop.
Fisher said “convenience had killed connection” as technology advanced and he wanted to encourage reconnection.
He recently hosted a live music performance by New Plymouth-based artist KF Seagulls, and Whanganui band Hot Potato is also scheduled to play.
Whanganui metal and hard rock fan Leon visits the Vinyl Room most days to see what’s new on the shelves.
“I had to go to Palmerston North to look for records before, so I’m really glad Ron’s here now, and he gets new stuff all the time.”
Liz Wylie is a multimedia journalist for the Whanganui Chronicle. She joined the editorial team in 2014 and regularly covers stories from Whanganui and the wider region. She also writes features and profile stories.
The second round robin gets under way next week.