I know of plenty of book-lovers in this town who’d never heard of Quilters until I pointed out its existence, and of at least two who struggled to find it after that. This is odd because Lambton Quay isn’t exactly a super-subtle hiding place. But then again, I’m the boy who’d been shopping there for two years before I noticed there were more books upstairs. It’s fair to say I’m not the sharpest scalpel in the operating room.

So dear reader, let me assure you that Quilters exists, and that it is excellent. There is a focus on New Zealand history, as the many back-issues of The New Zealand Journal of History that jump out at you on your entrance into the charming – and only slightly dusty – shop might lead people smarter than me to notice. But some of my best finds in the shop have been biographies: one on “King Dick” Seddon, and also Edith Sitwell’s biography of Alexander Pope (which I’d found rather tricky to track down). Quilters is where I go when I’m looking for stuff like that.

There is a good selection of literary fiction from the canon, and some lighter and older fare as well. The guy at the desk is extremely knowledgeable. The prices are good. Go, and buy books.