Timaru & South Canterbury secondhand books
South Canterbury lost its last old-school book exchange in March 2024, when Readers Book Exchange on Timaru’s Stafford Street closed after nearly 60 years. Its owner told the Otago Daily Times it was the last of many: another Timaru exchange had already gone, as had the ones in Ōamaru and Ashburton.
What remains is Timaru Booksellers, an independent bookshop at 331 Stafford Street that sells secondhand books alongside new ones, and a chain of Salvation Army Family Stores along State Highway 1 — Washdyke, Timaru, Temuka and Waimate — where books are part of the official stock list.
Geraldine has a lovely independent bookshop, but it sells new books. Every listing below was checked against the operator’s own page or Venture Timaru’s 2026 pre-loved trail on 1 November 2026.
1 dedicated bookshop · 4 op shops with books · updated 2026-11-01
Jump to: Timaru · Temuka · Waimate · Crawl guide · FAQ
Timaru — secondhand books & op shops
Dedicated bookshops
Op shops & charity stores with books
Salvation Army Family Store Timaru
Highfield, Timaru
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store Washdyke
Washdyke, Timaru
Temuka — secondhand books & op shops
Op shops & charity stores with books
Waimate — secondhand books & op shops
Op shops & charity stores with books
Timaru bookshop crawl guide
Driving south on State Highway 1, stop at the Temuka Family Store on King Street (weekdays until 4pm, Saturday mornings), then the Washdyke store on the Hilton Highway as you enter Timaru. In town, Timaru Booksellers is at the north end of Stafford Street — open seven days — and the Highfield Family Store is ten minutes west on Wai-iti Road.
Carry on south to Waimate (Queen Street) if you are heading for Ōamaru: its Family Store is open Monday to Saturday, 10am–4pm.
FAQ
Is there a secondhand bookshop in Timaru?
Timaru Booksellers at 331 Stafford Street sells secondhand books alongside new ones and is open seven days. Readers Book Exchange, Timaru’s long-running book exchange at 119 Stafford Street, closed in March 2024.
Where can I find cheap used books in Timaru?
The Salvation Army Family Stores at 210 Wai-iti Road (Highfield) and 93 Hilton Highway (Washdyke) both sell donated books.
Does Geraldine have a secondhand bookshop?
Not that we can verify. Geraldine’s bookshop on Talbot Street (The Page & Prose, being renamed Owls Do Cry) sells new books. The nearest secondhand shelves are at Timaru Booksellers, about 35 minutes away.
Is Timaru Booksellers open on Sundays?
Yes — 10am to 2pm on Sundays, according to its website.
Not listed (closed, unverified or no books)
- Readers Book Exchange (119 Stafford Street, Timaru) — closed end of March 2024 (Otago Daily Times).
- The Page & Prose / Owls Do Cry (Geraldine) — new books only.
- Red Cross Shop Timaru (110 Stafford Street) — still in phone directories but missing from Venture Timaru’s 2026 pre-loved trail; not listed until confirmed.
- Red Cross Shop Geraldine, St John, Vinnies, Hospice (Orbell St & Church St), SPCA, Crows Nest and Temuka’s King Street shops — open, but books are not confirmed on the operator’s own page; the Hospice shops describe clothing, homewares and furniture.
Nearby regions
Greater Christchurch · Dunedin & Port Chalmers · All South Island regions