Invercargill & Southland secondhand books
Southland’s used books are mostly in charity shops. Hospice South — the region’s hospice — runs shops in Invercargill, Gore, Winton, Te Anau and Queenstown, and lists books among the goods sold in all of them. The Salvation Army has Family Stores in Invercargill, Windsor, Gore and Winton, and Habitat for Humanity runs two big op shops in Invercargill.
Dunedin’s student magazine Critic once wrote that there are no dedicated secondhand bookshops between South Dunedin and Invercargill. We checked in November 2026 and it still holds: Milton, Balclutha and Gore have op shops but no secondhand bookshop (Balclutha Bookshop sells new books). In Invercargill itself, Browse Around Books now trades online, and Nith Street Book Exchange is listed in phone directories but we could not confirm it is still open — see the notes at the bottom of this page.
Every shop below was checked against the operator’s own website on 1 November 2026.
0 dedicated bookshops · 12 op shops with books · updated 2026-11-01
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Invercargill — secondhand books & op shops
Op shops & charity stores with books
Reloved by Hospice South
Invercargill
Op shop with booksReloved Outlet — Hospice South
Invercargill
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store Invercargill
Invercargill
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store Windsor
Windsor, Invercargill
Op shop with booksHabitat for Humanity Op Shop Glengarry
Glengarry, Invercargill
Op shop with booksHabitat for Humanity — The Garage ReUse Shop
Invercargill
Gore — secondhand books & op shops
Op shops & charity stores with books
Hospice South Shop Gore
Gore
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store Gore
Gore
Winton — secondhand books & op shops
Op shops & charity stores with books
Hospice South Shop Winton
Winton
Op shop with booksSalvation Army Family Store Winton
Winton
Te Anau — secondhand books & op shops
Op shops & charity stores with books
Balclutha — secondhand books & op shops
Op shops & charity stores with books
Southland bookshop crawl guide
In Invercargill, start on Yarrow Street, where the Salvation Army Family Store (109) and Hospice South’s Reloved Outlet (123) are almost side by side, then walk to the main Reloved shop at Leet and Deveron Streets. Drive north for Habitat Glengarry and the Windsor Family Store, or west to Habitat’s The Garage on Bond Street, which opens at 8am every day.
Driving down from Dunedin on State Highway 1, Balclutha (Clyde Street) and Gore (Ordsal Street and Hokonui Drive) are natural breaks. Heading to Fiordland, Winton’s two shops are on the way and Te Anau’s Hospice shop is open weekdays.
FAQ
Is there a secondhand bookshop in Invercargill?
Not one we can confirm is open. Browse Around Books now sells online only, and Nith Street Book Exchange (87 Nith Street) still appears in directories but we found no recent evidence it is trading — phone 03 218 8816 before visiting. Invercargill’s Hospice South, Salvation Army and Habitat op shops all sell books.
Are there secondhand bookshops between Dunedin and Invercargill?
No dedicated ones that we could find in November 2026 — which matches what Critic reported. Balclutha and Gore have charity shops with books, and Balclutha Bookshop sells new books.
Where can I swap books in Te Anau before a Great Walk?
The Hospice South shop at 66 Town Centre, Te Anau, sells donated books on weekdays.
Which Invercargill op shop is open on Sundays?
Habitat’s The Garage on Bond Street lists daily hours (8am–5:30pm in winter, 8am–6pm in summer). The other shops on this page are closed on Sundays.
Not listed (closed, unverified or no books)
- Nith Street Book Exchange (87 Nith Street, Invercargill) — listed in Yellow and other directories (established 1960) but we found no recent evidence it is trading; not listed until confirmed.
- Browse Around Books (Invercargill) — now describes itself as an online bookshop with a PO Box address; no walk-in shop.
- Boom Comics (Esk Street) — a volunteer-run comic store with limited hours; no 2025–26 confirmation of current hours.
- Red Cross Invercargill, Otago Community Hospice Milton — open, but books not confirmed on the operator’s own page.
- Balclutha Bookshop, River Books (Gore), Paper Plus — new books only.
Nearby regions
Dunedin & Port Chalmers · Queenstown, Wānaka & Arrowtown · All South Island regions