Simons said everybody was looking for authors such as Freida McFadden, Kristen Hannah and Sarah J. Maas.<\/p>\n
\u201cI get a lot of requests for the same book, and if I do get them … boom, they\u2019re gone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Summer was Xanadu\u2019s busiest time of year.<\/p>\n
When Simons spoke to NZME, 1000 books had just been dropped off at the store within an hour.<\/p>\n
The number of customers had picked up since the beginning of December and Simons expected to be busy until the end of February.<\/p>\n
Xanadu Exchange was open every day except Christmas Day.<\/p>\n
Xanadu Book Exchange owner Briar Simons. Photo \/ Gavin Ogden<\/p>\n
Simons said her biggest challenge running the second-hand bookstore<\/a> was paying the rent. <\/p>\n Having downsized from three to two buildings, her situation had improved. <\/p>\n But the economy and rising prices dictated her customers\u2019 spending habits. <\/p>\n \u201cBy the time people go to the supermarket and get their food, books are a luxury,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople are living their daily lives and money\u2019s a bit tight.\u201d <\/p>\n Simons said business was quieter during the week but weekends were \u201cfull-on\u201d and people visited from across New Zealand during public holidays.<\/p>\n She said her loyal customer base kept returning and brought her new customers.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s nice to support your locals, and that\u2019s why a lot of people come to me, because they like to support me and they\u2019ve been coming to me since I started.\u201d<\/p>\n The competitive pricing of her books also helped her business stay afloat.<\/p>\n Nothing was over $5 and customers received store credit when they brought in books.<\/p>\n Customers could swap out the old for new, which in turn meant fresh stock for Simons. <\/p>\n \u201cPrices are a really big thing.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we start raising prices, that\u2019s the end of the business. I always promised that I wouldn\u2019t go more than $5 for books. I\u2019ve stuck to that and it has worked well for me.\u201d <\/p>\n Xanadu Exchange sold more than just books to keep the business going. <\/p>\n Simons stocked CDs, DVDs, jigsaws and more.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a drawcard for everything. People come in for a book and then they end up buying a DVD or a piece of china. It all helps.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you get people who don\u2019t read, they\u2019re not going to come and visit me. Some customers\u2019 husbands don\u2019t read, but if you put something there [that they will buy], the husband will buy something.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can browse all day in this shop and turn around the corner and see something else.\u201d<\/p>\n Round and Round in Mount Maunganui also expanded its business plan beyond selling books to \u201ckeep going\u201d during tough times. <\/p>\n The store sold art by local artists and records, and hosted printmaking sessions and book clubs. <\/p>\n Owner Stella Clark said doing lots of new and different things helped it stay afloat. <\/p>\n During NZ Music Month<\/a>, bands played in the shop while people browsed. <\/p>\n \u201cWe want to expand on what a bookshop traditionally is and offer what the community wants.\u201d<\/p>\n Clark said tourists sought out the store during summer and many travellers, especially people working in kiwifruit, attended the printmaking sessions as a different activity.<\/p>\n Katja Pott from Katja Pott Art and Books in Historic Village had been bookselling for 30 years. <\/p>\n She said bookselling was a \u201cstruggling business\u201d.<\/p>\n But she endeavoured to service her community\u2019s wants, ordering in specially requested books for her customers. <\/p>\nCustomers browse Xanadu Book Exchange in P\u0101p\u0101moa.<\/p>\n
Round and Round in Mount Maunganui. Photo \/ Bijou Johnson<\/p>\n