Beattie & Forbes Booksellers
Napier's iconic independent bookshop
Beattie and Forbes Booksellers started life as The Office Supply Company, Napier. Opened by Tom Sullivan in 1924 on the corner of Hastings and Tennyson Streets. When the Earthquake struck in 1931 the shop was open. Tom and one of his assistants, Aline Buckley, got out, but tragically his other assistant, Nellie Rolls, was killed. Aline then worked in the store (by now on the opposite corner) for about 50 years. When she finally retired the store had become Beattie and Forbes Booksellers, so named by Graham Beattie and Barry Forbes in 1968.
Since then the shop has changed hands a couple of times and is now owned by James and Megan Landon, both bibliophiles and from retail, (James) and academic (Megan) backgrounds.
With a reputation for great service and still Napier’s only Independent Bookseller we hold a broad range of fiction, non-fiction and children’s books. We specialise in Art, Art Deco, Fashion and Architecture as well as having an extensive range New Zealand History and Culture. We also carry a comprehensive selection of New Zealand fiction and poetry. We have recently partnered with KOBO and are able to offer both the e-reader and a link thorugh our site for you to download e-books onto a variety of readers including iPads and Sony e-readers. Follow the links from our site to Kobo and register today!
If you do not see what you want on this site please contact us, we are importers of books from around the world. We also offer a rare and second hand book search service for those hard to find treasures. We are happy to gift wrap your book free of charge and have a best selection of cards in Napier to personalise that gift before sending in NZ or around the world.
We have the most generous loyalty scheme on the high street and a lay-by service and free quality gift wrapping year round.
Basically: we'll always try to say 'yes' - now what was the question?
Meet Megan, James and the fantastic team
Megan - Bookseller since 2005, prior to that I was involved in research and lecturing in Environmental Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. I am loving living in Napier with James and our boys.
James - Started in bookselling when we bought the business, but being an experienced retailer and book lover meant that bookselling was a great fit. It has also proved a good way to find the time for a spot of fly fishing. We don't see him all that much anymore now that we have opened a shop in Hastings. He would welcome a visit at Plaza Books in the Bay Plaza www.plazabooks.co.nz
Angela - A fabulous asset to the shop, a seasoned retailer who joined us in 2014. Angela keeps the shop looking beautiful and is to found with her head in a book at lunchtime too.