Book Search Definitely Worth The Effort

In South Auckland, squished in between two dollar stores, empty lots, fast food joints, and the Onehunga cop shop there’s a treasure trove.

If you are willing to sift through the plastic in the surrounding shops, walk over the black stained footpaths and search hard enough, there is a pot of gold waiting in The Hard To Find (But Worth the Effort) Second-hand Bookshop.

Hard To Find was opened 26 years ago when owner Warwick Jordan decided to sell some of his books over the counter for extra money. He had been a handcraft printer and publisher in a basement in Onehunga.

Since 1984, the store has grown to hold over 140,000 titles, and take the title of biggest and best second-hand bookshop in New Zealand.

“You can get lost in this maze”, a fellow shopper said to me as we bumped into each other in the aisles.

He had been here for a half-hour scanning titles on the endless shelves of books. And he’s right.

At first glance the store can be overwhelming with books cluttered around the counter, piled on the corner of each stair and wedged tightly together on shelves.

“The shop is deceptive, it seems causal, but it is in fact very organised. Just ask any of the staff and they’ll guide you to the right spot” says Warwick.

The informal layout of the store makes it easy to wander around the pages and lose track of time. This makes it a much more relaxed shopping experience than in the chain bookstores.

“The voyage of discovery is a big part of the pleasure of being a customer at our shop. It is not metal shelving and staff who just know how to work the cash register.”

Along with the store in Onehunga, Hard To Find also has an internet catalogue, separate to the shop stock where books can be easily bought online.

Will the E-book epidemic wipe out the real, tangible book? In a shop like Hard To Find with regular, passionate, book-loving, customers, it is hard to see how this will ever happen. And Warwick scoffs at the idea. “Books are going to be wiped out ‘just like vinyl and CD’s’ – well, vinyl was in common use for about 70 years at most, and CD’s lasted around 25. Books have been printed for around 500 years, and before them manuscript books for even longer.

“I don’t have any interest in owning e-books – I see them as a fad about as long lasting as bell-bottom jeans.”

Hard To Find has stood the test of time, which isn’t surprising considering their prestigious reputation. Once, there were nine different stores scattered around the country. But for Warwick that turned what started as a passion into a stressful business.

“It wasn’t making me rich, but it was adding to my grey hairs”.

So he decided to shut up shop everywhere except at the original Onehunga store, which continues to thrive off loyal regular customers.

Had the recession dented his sales?

“In a positive way…our regular customers are sticking with us, and many who would have purchased books new, no realise they can get books that are just as good, and often in as-new condition, for us for a lot less expense”.

The shop has a distinct atmosphere – homey and comfortable.

This goes against claims of a ghost in the building. The story stems from the start of last century when a patient of a dentist operating upstairs died while receiving anaesthetic.

Aside from giving rise to the ghost story, the incident led to a change in rules for administering anaesthetics.

“I lived in the upstairs area for some time and I was fine - just funny stuff like doors opening on their own, taps turning themselves on, mystery footsteps, says Warwick.

“Nothing bas has happened so I can only assume if there is any ghost , it is friendly,. At least there’s plenty for it to read!”

Hard To Find (But Worth the Effort) is always attracting new customers with their ardent, helpful staff, and affordable, quality books. Any customer, with any range of interests is sure to found a book worth reading, including Warwick Jordan’s personal top five reads; Moby Dick by Herman Melville. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Bleak House by Charles Dickens, Catch 22 by Joseph Heller, and The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad. You just have to be willing to search.