Hornby Books — Hornby
A secondhand bookshop in Hornby, Christchurch. Part of the Greater Christchurch secondhand bookshops directory — see also our NZ used-book price guide.
No rights-cleared photo yet — Mathew’s phone photos welcome. Open the map pin for the street location.
About
Hornby Books is a long-running suburban secondhand bookshop on Main South Road — a humble roadside block that has somehow survived the malls, big-box retail and Dress Smart sprawl around it. Spinoff called it a perfect mould of the classic New Zealand suburban bookshop: musty shelves of romance, crime, thrillers and mysteries, with a local culture of buy–read–trade-in.
It’s out of the way unless you’re already west-side; if you are in Hornby, it’s an easy pop-in. Address listings sometimes disagree (385 vs 393 Main South Road) and hours vary by directory, so phone ahead for a special trip. The Amyes Road charity cluster (Salvation Army, Red Cross, SPCA) is nearby if you want op-shop books the same day.
Price tip: Suburban trade-in pricing — expect everyday paperback rates, not rare-book markups.
What you’ll find
Romance, crime, thrillers, mysteries and everyday trade-in paperbacks — classic suburban turnover stock.
Practical info
- Address
- 385 Main South Road, Hornby, Christchurch 8042
- Hours
- Mon–Fri approx 10am–4pm; Sat mornings; Sun closed (confirm locally)
- Phone
- 03 349 5413
Some older listings show 393 Main South Rd. Hours inconsistent across directories.
Visitor notes & reviews
“Unchanged humble roadside shop; classic NZ suburban mould of romance, crime and trade-ins.”
2025-01 · The Spinoff