Queenstown, Wānaka & Arrowtown secondhand books
The Queenstown Lakes district has no permanent secondhand bookshop right now. Bright Ink, a small used-book shop in Frankton’s Country Lane, went mobile in early 2025 and we can no longer confirm it is trading. So used books here live in charity and reuse shops — and a few of them are well worth the stop.
In Queenstown, two charity stores sit close together on Gorge Road: the Hospice South shop and the Salvation Army Family Store. Over the Crown Range in Wānaka, the Hospice Shop on Brownston Street has a dedicated Book Room, and the community-owned Wastebusters reuse shop is open seven days.
Arrowtown has a lovely new-book shop (Dorothy Brown’s, above the cinema) but no secondhand book outlet we can verify. Every listing below was checked against the operator’s own page or an official tourism listing on 1 November 2026; hours change with the seasons, so call ahead if you are making a special trip.
0 dedicated bookshops · 5 op shops with books · updated 2026-11-01
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Queenstown — secondhand books & op shops
Op shops & charity stores with books
Hospice South Shop Queenstown
Queenstown
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store Queenstown
Queenstown
Wānaka — secondhand books & op shops
Op shops & charity stores with books
Wānaka Hospice Shop
Wānaka
Op shop with booksWastebusters Reuse Shop
Wānaka
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store Wānaka
Three Parks, Wānaka
Queenstown bookshop crawl guide
In Queenstown, walk up Gorge Road from the town centre: the Salvation Army Family Store (71 Gorge Rd) and the Hospice South shop (106 Gorge Rd) are a few minutes apart. Go on a weekday — the Hospice shop closes at 3pm on Saturday and both are shut on Sunday.
In Wānaka, start at the Hospice Shop’s Book Room on Brownston Street near the town centre, then drive out to Three Parks for the Salvation Army on Umbers Street and finish at Wastebusters on Ballantyne Road, which is open until 5pm every day including Sunday.
Queenstown to Wānaka is about an hour over the Crown Range Road (longer via Cromwell in winter).
FAQ
Is there a secondhand bookshop in Queenstown?
Not a permanent one at the moment. Bright Ink, which sold secondhand books from Country Lane in Frankton, became a mobile bookshop in 2025 and we cannot confirm it is still trading. For used books in Queenstown, try the Hospice South shop (106 Gorge Road) and the Salvation Army Family Store (71 Gorge Road).
Where can I buy used books in Wānaka?
The Wānaka Hospice Shop at 11A Brownston Street has a dedicated Book Room. Wastebusters on Ballantyne Road (open 9am–5pm daily) and the Salvation Army Family Store on Umbers Street also sell donated books.
Are there secondhand books in Arrowtown?
We have not found a verified secondhand book outlet in Arrowtown. Dorothy Brown’s bookstore sells new books. The nearest used books are the Gorge Road charity shops in Queenstown, about 20 minutes away.
Which shops are open on Sundays?
Wastebusters in Wānaka is open seven days, 9am–5pm. The Queenstown and Wānaka Hospice and Salvation Army shops are closed on Sundays.
Not listed (closed, unverified or no books)
- Bright Ink (Frankton / mobile) — left its Country Lane shop in February 2025 to trade from markets; its last public update we found was April 2025 and its web domain no longer points to the shop. Not listed until trading is confirmed.
- Bunnies Arrowtown — children’s clothing and toy shop; books are incidental.
- Dorothy Brown’s bookstore, The Next Chapter, Paper Plus — new books only.
- SPCA Op Shop, CanShop, Recycle Boutique and other Queenstown op shops — no evidence of a regular book section; mainly clothing and homewares.
Nearby regions
Dunedin & Port Chalmers · Greater Christchurch · All South Island regions