Wardini Books owners Gareth and Louise Ward with faithful companion Tonks.
Wardini Books owners Gareth and Louise Ward with faithful companion Tonks.
Like the good citizens we are, Wardini Books closed on the evening of Monday, March 16, as soon as the government announced the level 3 alert. Even at that level, the guidelines stated that non-essential businesses should close their doors.
Although, in normal times, books are as essential as coffee, wine and hanging with your friends we, as a nation, were staring down the barrel of a pandemic. There would be loss of lives, families separated, our way of life changed forever — this just got real. Flippant and fun as our business model usually is, this was no time for mucking around.
It was an eerie feeling. On a Monday I usually work from home — doing the wages, writing book reviews, sorting various and excruciatingly boring accounts. I might pop into the Havelock North shop to bother Catt and Amy and generally get in the way or to see a rep from one of the publishers.
On this Monday though, we were preparing to lockdown. Amy finishes at 4pm and I will never forget the look on her face when she said goodbye that day. If I had to pin it down I would say confusion, disbelief and grief. I guess this is what many of us were feeling.
Over the next couple of days Wardini and I in Havelock North and Nigel in Napier put our shops to bed.
We unpacked and processed the stock that was coming in, fielded phone calls from desperate readers, did a few local deliveries, put out an email and social media posts to let our community know what we were doing. All this in a fog of unreality.
How had this happened, and so quickly? Hypothetically, we were expecting zombies (we've always had a plan for that eventuality - true story), or another world war, but this? What was this?
By midnight on Wednesday, that was that. Wardini Books could not trade. At all.
Although guidelines weren't firm at that stage we looked at Level 4 and quickly came to the conclusion that any kind of trade would put people at further risk of transmission of this virus. As our last courier standing told us, 'at least 12 people have handled that box in the past 24 hours.'
Now our team of nine brave and beautiful booksellers are 'working from home.' Yes, of course, that means lots and lots of reading (I know, your heart bleeds) but for Wardini and I it also means trying to come up with a plan to keep our business alive so that we can welcome our community back through its doors when we come out the other side.
The crew at Wardini Books will staunch it out during lock down.
And rest assured, we bloody well will be doing that. So we're keeping in touch on social media, writing book reviews for new and future releases (we're lucky to have many advance copies given to us by our wonderful publishers' reps), deciding which bills to pay and when, and having online meetings in our dressing gowns.
This is a time when members of our industry are frantically working out how we can support one another.
On the first level, independent bookseller Kit from Scorpio Books in Christchurch quickly set up a WhatsApp group so we could all go "OMG. WTF? How are you? What are you reading?" That was massive. Just to be able to say things 'out loud' and voice fears with those who know exactly what you mean.
The next level is our trade industry group, Booksellers NZ, who have stayed in touch at every step of the way, answering our queries, interpreting what it means for us, what help is available, identifying our most vulnerable members. They've come up with the #BookshopsWillBeBack hashtag because we flipping well will be. We're too stubborn to die.
Local support has been overwhelmingly lovely. Our communities want their bookshops back. We've been so, so lucky with our landlords (family trusts – you know who you are).
They immediately offered rent holidays – we didn't have to ask and that was a huge weight off. Our community of readers have also offered ideas and support — can they buy vouchers, how can they help? Just, wow. The love has been amazing.
On the fun side, we're getting creative on social media with book charades, book Pictionary, videoed bedtime stories. Our booksellers are contributing photos of what they're reading - a much loved, dog eared copy of Eragon, an old series started again from book one, a pile of Tintin books, as well as all the new stuff they're devouring. They might be at home, but you can bet there will be many, many recommendations waiting for you upon our return.
On a serious, beseeching and imploring note, please, please if you value your High Street and your CBD in any way, wait for us. Don't hop online and get your books or other stuff from overseas retailers. Have patience, save your book budget and wait for us. We will really need you. #BookshopsWillBeBack
