The Next Chapter

Located out front of Paradiso Cinema, in a purpose-built, architecturally designed, scaled-up kiosk, The Next Chapter provides readers with an intimate escape from the hustle and bustle of central Wānaka. Once inside, you’ll find a selection of national and international writers, with fiction being the biggest seller, followed by children’s books, a handpicked mix of classics and a specialist mountaineering and outdoors section. The curation of the shelves is ever-changing as the team continues to get to know and evolve with their customers’ tastes and interests. There’s a dedicated reading area with comfortable chairs to sink into as you explore the pages of your newest finds.

The concept for The Next Chapter was born out of a lifetime love of reading, identifying a gap in the market and drawing inspiration from other tiny bookshops across the country. Owners and operators Jenny Ainge and Sally Battson are constantly looking to further develop the local reading community by building relationships with their customers and school libraries, and through their bookshop book clubs (including a dedicated non-fiction club which has proven very popular). They run regular author events and launches, utilising the cute covered courtyard behind the shop and in collaboration with their friendly neighbours, Cinema Paradiso. Further sharing the love of reading, there’s even a Lilliput Library out the front (designed as a miniature of the shop itself) — a tiny community library where books are free to borrow, swap, return or donate  — perfect for travellers who need a new book but not more luggage.

It’s a crime that it took Wānaka so long to have an independent bookshop, but now the case is closed, and it’s another reason to visit this picturesque place. Happy browsing.