Barbera Thame (left), and Hilary Bullot, Hastings Host Lions Club members. Photo / Paul Taylor
You might find a $2 bargain or stumble across treasure at the Hastings Lions Club’s annual book sale this weekend.
But you’ll need to get to the Tomoana Showgrounds early to skip the lines.
President of the Hastings Lions Book Club, Alan Harvey, says punters queue early on the Saturday morning.
“Doors open at 8am, and there’s usually a queue of about 300 people.”
A local who collects war books gets there first each year and heads straight for the military section.
“He knows where it is, and he wants to be there first,” Harvey says.
The book sale has been running for 35 years since the club started it in 1987.
“Paperbacks are the biggest seller,” says Harvey, but autobiographies are popular, too.
He says a man once bought a $2 book written by Winston Churchill, which was then on-sold for $20,000.
“He was probably buying $1000 worth of books each year.”
Sales have averaged $35,000 annually, with the best sale raking in around $50,000 in revenue.
“Without the public [coming], we wouldn’t make money. The money goes back to local charitable causes.”
But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing.
All unsold books are shipped to Tāmaki Makaurau for recycling, which costs about $5,000 a year - cheaper than the landfill.
“In recent times, recyclers don’t want them. It’s really hard.”
The club receives 60,000 donated books each year - many go unsold.
“That’s what makes the people come. We’ve got a few out-of-town book shop dealers that restock.”
Securing a permanent venue in the early years was tough, and “uncertainty was a big issue”.
Empty warehouses wouldn’t commit to leasing it to the club until about a month beforehand.
And as many of the club members are older, it’s demanding, physical work.
“This year, we talked with Napier Boys’ High School, who have provided us with six students each day. We give them a donation, too.”
The sale is on this Saturday (8am-4pm) and Sunday (9am-3pm) at the Tomoana Showgrounds in Hastings.
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