Ōamaru & North Otago secondhand books
Ōamaru has the only dedicated secondhand bookshop on State Highway 1 between Timaru and Dunedin: Slightly Foxed, in a Victorian whitestone building on Tyne Street in the Historic Precinct. It is open seven days and still posts weekly new arrivals.
The precinct used to have a second book destination — Adventure Books, Bill Nye’s rare-book shop of exploration, polar and mountaineering titles — but it moved to Christchurch’s Old Municipal Chambers in late 2024. The town’s old book exchange closed years ago.
For cheaper reading copies, the Salvation Army Family Store on Thames Street and the Get Sorted Shop at the resource recovery park both list books. Everything here was checked on 1 November 2026.
1 dedicated bookshop · 2 op shops with books · updated 2026-11-01
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Ōamaru — secondhand books & op shops
Dedicated bookshops
Op shops & charity stores with books
Salvation Army Family Store Ōamaru
Ōamaru
Op shop with booksGet Sorted Shop — Waitaki Resource Recovery Park
Ōamaru
Ōamaru bookshop crawl guide
Start at Slightly Foxed on Tyne Street in the Historic Precinct — it opens at 10am every day — and wander the whitestone streets around it. Walk up to the Salvation Army Family Store on Thames Street, then drive north to the Get Sorted Shop on Chelmer Street, which is open on weekends too.
Coming from the north, Waimate’s Salvation Army store is a short detour off State Highway 1; heading south, Dunedin’s bookshops are about 80 minutes away.
FAQ
Is there a secondhand bookshop in Ōamaru?
Yes — Slightly Foxed Secondhand Books at 11 Tyne Street in the Historic Precinct, open seven days.
Is Adventure Books still in Ōamaru?
No. Adventure Books moved from Harbour Street, Ōamaru, to the Old Municipal Chambers in central Christchurch in late 2024.
Where can I find cheap used books in Ōamaru?
The Salvation Army Family Store at 255 Thames Street and the Get Sorted Shop at 42 Chelmer Street both sell donated books.
Not listed (closed, unverified or no books)
- Adventure Books (7 Harbour Street) — moved to Christchurch in late 2024.
- Otago Community Hospice shop Ōamaru, St Vincent de Paul — open, but books not confirmed on the operator’s own page.
- Paper Plus Ōamaru — new books only.
Nearby regions
Dunedin & Port Chalmers · Timaru, Geraldine & South Canterbury · All South Island regions