Dead Souls Bookshop — Dunedin Central
A secondhand bookshop in Dunedin Central, Dunedin. Part of the Dunedin & Port Chalmers secondhand bookshops directory — see also our NZ used-book price guide.
No rights-cleared photo yet — our own photos coming soon. Open the map pin for the street location.
About
Dead Souls is the Dunedin bookshop that looks like it was built for a film set: towering stacks of vintage children’s hardbacks, older literary editions and the kind of early-20th-century travel memoir you didn’t know you wanted. It describes itself as a “purveyor of quality second hand books” and trades from 393 Princes Street, at the southern end of the central city.
The Spinoff placed it a close second to Hard to Find, noting it is a little more expensive but rewards rummaging — “if you’re in search of rare or beautiful editions of literary classics, this should be your first stop.” It is less about cheap reading copies and more about the satisfying find: a handsome hardback, an out-of-print NZ title, a forgotten classic.
Hours are flexible by the shop’s own description, so phone or check the website before making a special trip. the Downtown Book Exchange is a short walk along at 426 Princes Street, and Hard to Find is a ten-minute walk north.
Price tip: A notch above exchange-shop prices; collectable NZ titles online run from about $40 to well over $100.
What you’ll find
Vintage and antiquarian hardbacks, literary classics, older children’s books, NZ history and Crump-era Kiwiana, geology and natural history, travel and exploration, and a curated online catalogue.
Practical info
- Address
- 393 Princes Street, Dunedin Central, Dunedin 9016
- Hours
- Usually Mon–Sat 10am–5pm (“open when open”) — call ahead
- Phone
- 021 0270 8540
- Website
- deadsouls.co.nz
The shop itself says hours are “open when open” and website titles are not always readily accessible in store — contact them before travelling for a specific book.
Visitor notes & reviews
“If you’re in search of rare or beautiful editions of literary classics, this should be your first stop.”
2024-05 · The Spinoff