Greater Christchurch secondhand bookshops & op shops with books
Greater Christchurch’s secondhand book scene stretches from city suburbs to North Canterbury and Selwyn — dedicated bookshops, charity book specialists, and dozens of op shops that stock shelves of used books. This directory covers Christchurch plus outer towns Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Rolleston and Burnham: places you’d plan a trip for, and charity stores worth ducking into when you’re already in the neighbourhood.
13 dedicated bookshops · 45 charity / op shops that sell books · updated 2026-10-27 · includes Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Rolleston and Burnham.
Jump to: Christchurch dedicated · Christchurch op shops · Rangiora · Kaiapoi · Rolleston · Burnham
How to use this directory
Start with dedicated bookshops when you want depth — Dove, Book Barn, London Street, Steadfast, The Book Cellar (Kaiapoi) and friends. Use op shops when you’re already in a suburb or satellite town and want cheap used books without a special trip: Salvation Army Family Stores, Hato Hone St John, Red Cross, City Mission, Vinnies, Nurse Maude hospice shops, SPCA, Habitat ReStore and Selwyn ReUse all appear below where books are part of the mix.
Hours change. Phone ahead for short-hour or weather-dependent shops (Custard Square, St Augustine’s, Aranui Family Store, Rolleston Hope). For typical sticker prices, see the price guide.
Christchurch & Lyttelton — dedicated secondhand bookshops
Dedicated bookshop
Dove Bookshop
Bishopdale, Christchurch
Dedicated bookshop
Steadfast Books
Addington, Christchurch
Dedicated bookshopBook Barn on Ferry
Woolston, Christchurch
Dedicated bookshopReverie Booksellers
St Albans, Christchurch
Dedicated bookshopKing's Books & Stamps
Richmond, Christchurch
Dedicated bookshop
The Custard Square Bookshop
Christchurch Central, Christchurch
Dedicated bookshopHornby Books
Hornby, Christchurch
Dedicated bookshopChristian Value Books
Papanui, Christchurch
Dedicated bookshop
WE Are Books
Christchurch Central, Christchurch
Dedicated bookshopSt Augustine's Second Hand Catholic Bookshop
Burnside, Christchurch
Dedicated bookshopLondon Street Bookshop
Lyttelton, Christchurch
Dedicated bookshopSmith's Bookshop
Woolston, Christchurch
Christchurch — op shops & charity stores with books
City Mission Op Shop — Barbadoes Street
Christchurch Central, Christchurch
Op shop with booksCity Mission Op Shop — Sydenham
Sydenham, Christchurch
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store — Sydenham
Sydenham, Christchurch
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store — Papanui
Papanui, Christchurch
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store — Addington
Addington, Christchurch
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store — Riccarton
Upper Riccarton, Christchurch
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store — Hornby
Hornby, Christchurch
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store — Linwood
Linwood, Christchurch
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store — Shirley
Shirley, Christchurch
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store — Aranui
Aranui, Christchurch
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store — Belfast
Belfast, Christchurch
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store — Colombo Street
Sydenham, Christchurch
Op shop with booksHato Hone St John — Ferry Road
Waltham, Christchurch
Op shop with booksHato Hone St John — Papanui
Papanui, Christchurch
Op shop with booksHato Hone St John — Edgeware
St Albans, Christchurch
Op shop with books
Hato Hone St John — Addington
Addington, Christchurch
Op shop with booksHato Hone St John — Fendalton
Bryndwr, Christchurch
Op shop with books
Hato Hone St John — Sydenham
Sydenham, Christchurch
Op shop with books
Hato Hone St John — Durham Street
Christchurch Central, Christchurch
Op shop with booksHabitat for Humanity ReStore — Sydenham
Sydenham, Christchurch
Op shop with booksRed Cross Shop — Manchester Street
Christchurch Central, Christchurch
Op shop with booksRed Cross Shop — Hornby
Hornby, Christchurch
Op shop with booksRed Cross Shop — Papanui
Papanui, Christchurch
Op shop with booksRed Cross Shop — Woolston
Woolston, Christchurch
Op shop with booksVinnies (St Vincent de Paul) — Stanmore Road
Richmond, Christchurch
Op shop with booksVinnies (St Vincent de Paul) — Langdons Road
Papanui, Christchurch
Op shop with booksVinnies (St Vincent de Paul) — Manchester Street
Christchurch Central, Christchurch
Op shop with booksNurse Maude Hospice Shop — Avonhead
Avonhead, Christchurch
Op shop with booksNurse Maude Hospice Shop — Beckenham
Beckenham, Christchurch
Op shop with booksNurse Maude Hospice Shop — Merivale
Merivale, Christchurch
Op shop with booksNurse Maude Hospice Shop — Sumner
Sumner, Christchurch
Op shop with booksSPCA Op Shop — Hornby
Hornby, Christchurch
Op shop with booksSPCA Op Shop — Riccarton
Riccarton, Christchurch
Op shop with booksSPCA Op Shop — Sydenham (Furniture & Homeware)
Sydenham, Christchurch
Rangiora — secondhand books & op shops
Op shops & charity stores with books
City Mission Op Shop — Rangiora
Rangiora
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store — Rangiora
Rangiora
Op shop with booksHato Hone St John — Rangiora
Rangiora
Op shop with booksRed Cross Shop — Rangiora
Rangiora
Op shop with booksNurse Maude Hospice Shop — Rangiora
Rangiora
Kaiapoi — secondhand books & op shops
Dedicated bookshops
Op shops & charity stores with books
Salvation Army Family Store — Kaiapoi
Kaiapoi
Op shop with booksNurse Maude Hospice Shop — Kaiapoi
Kaiapoi
Op shop with booksSPCA Op Shop — Kaiapoi
Kaiapoi
Rolleston — secondhand books & op shops
Op shops & charity stores with books
Salvation Army Family Store — Rolleston
Rolleston
Op shop with booksRolleston Hope Op Shop
Rolleston
Burnham — secondhand books & op shops
Op shops & charity stores with books
FAQ
Where is the best secondhand bookshop in Christchurch?
It depends what you want. The Spinoff’s 2025 roundup put Book Barn on Ferry first for chaotic bargains, London Street Bookshop second for literary browsing, and Custard Square third for central-city charm. Dove Bookshop wins for organised charity depth. North of the Waimakariri, start with The Book Cellar in Kaiapoi plus Rangiora’s op-shop strip. Read each shop page for reviews and stock notes.
Which outer towns near Christchurch sell used books?
This directory covers Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Rolleston and Burnham (Selwyn ReUse). Burnside already appears under Christchurch dedicated shops (St Augustine’s). We only list places with verified or strongly evidenced book stock.
Which op shops sell books in Christchurch?
Most large charity chains do — Salvation Army Family Stores explicitly list books, as do City Mission, Vinnies Canterbury, Habitat ReStore Sydenham, Selwyn ReUse and typically St John, Red Cross and hospice shops.
Is J Books still open?
No. J Books on Ferry Road closed around December 2025; do not treat stale map pins as current.
Closed
- J Books — closed 2025-12. Do not list as open. Some directories still show stale OSM hours as of Oct 2026.