Before I developed my love for independant bookstores, Whitcoulls was my go-to for Christmas…read morepresents. A book (or board game, if I was feeling generous) for each family member and I was done. Despite being a chain, they've got a relatively good selection and the staff that i've interacted with seem to like and read a number of them, which is always a plus. Whitcoulls of course, also have stationery, magazines and a small selection of puzzles too. If you desperate for a gift, they're a one stop shop that's often open late but personally, now that we've got our own independent bookstore in Milford, The Booklover, I'd much rather support them and get a recommendation that's sure to wow!

Well stocked book store on Hurstmere Road with the added visual bonus of colour coordinated…read moredisplays. There's a good range of gift cards and it's stocked with a fairly decent range of cookbooks. Good for Sunday browsing when the parking's free.

All booklovers have a favourite place where they can find books that were waiting for them. Book…read moreMark in Takapuna is my place. I love to walk in there and absorb the culture, the smell and the hundreds of years of toil that went into their creation. The art books impress, the biographies inspire and the novels make me realize what I'm yet to achieve. Maybe it is not in my future to write a novel, but at least I know where I can go to find great works of written art. For fans of military works, you will be impressed with their large collection, and for those simply wishing to browse, you are more than welcome. Maybe you'll even see me there.

If you love books. This is the place for you. They have a variety of books which are set at a very…read morereasonable prices. They have a small selection of games. However, your second-hand boardgames should be stated if they are complete or not. Charging high prices for an incomplete board game is money-pinching. Also, asking a customer what they plan on doing with their many purchases, is really none of your business. You set a price for your products, and I am supporting your business by purchasing those products.

Man, Milford is really upping it's game! First an artisan cheese store and now our very own…read morebookstore. At this rate i'm going to struggle to leave... The Booklover opened in Milford a couple of weeks ago from it's previous location in Takapuna and is a welcome replacement for that GHASTLY all hours gaming/computer den. It's independent, which I love and they stock a beautiful range of books. I could spend hours perusing their Home & Garden section and those cookbooks....seriously dangerous. Today I popped in to buy a specific book and whilst they didn't have it on the shelves the owner happily ordered it for me and is going to call when it's in. He also added me to their loyalty program. I'm not quite sure what the benefits of this are but I do plan on visiting regularly so i'll keep you posted!

The Booklover is a wonderful independent book store. Tom, the owner, is knowledgeable and very…read morehelpful. When I went in looking for a copy of Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes the Booklover did not have a copy, but Tom spent 10 minutes ringing around other independent bookstores to find me a copy. The selection is great, particularly for lesser known titles with small print runs. If you're after the latest best-seller there are obviously many stores that cater to this, but the Booklover has much more depth. Tom and the team also arrange book club evenings and other interesting literary events. They also have an online store so you can get online and have your books delivered by the next day.

This is my local video store and I am never let down on choice!…read more Located off the main Northcote shopping centre is this super popular store. The staff are always young guys who seem to have a fascination with movies, is that not always the case. What can I say about a video store that provides me with enough new releases on a regular basis to keep me coming back? I like that they have a lot of genre choices; and are not limited in that regard. As well as the new films, I like the foreign film section which has a really broad range, and the film festival films which have a great selection. The guys are kind enough to be lenient with fines on some occasions, should I have a good reason for it. If you're like me and need some naughty sweets to accompany the film, they have lots of choice of ice cream, soda, lollies and chips.