In American Gods, Neil Gaiman was onto a good thing when he declared that ‘a town isn’t a town without a bookstore’, and nowhere is that more true than Christchurch. Scorpio Books is famous as one of the city’s best independent bookshops, and has long been a part of the fabric of the inner city. Dave Cameron, the owner of Scorpio, bought the business in the 1970s. The bookshop had been called ‘Pisces’ and had been around since the 1960s on Oxford Terrace. After purchasing, Dave changed the name of the business to his own star sign, ‘Scorpio’. A constant in central Christchurch, Scorpio has helped to anchor the city during its period of change, and proved to be a haven for book lovers of every type.

With an extensive range of books covering a variety of genres, Scorpio is a bookshop to visit when you’re looking for a particular title. Chances are, if you can’t find it on the shelves, the Scorpio staff will be more than happy to source it for you, a very good reason to make this your first port of call for any book shopping. There’s an impressive selection of New Zealand literature and specialty magazines, and a hearty collection of art books as well. You’ll also find a children’s literature area, perfect for keeping young ones entertained and interested in literature.

The kind of place where you can spend hours without noticing the time passing by, Scorpio affirms that there’s no better feeling than holding a book in your hands while you read, and with plenty of cosy seats to choose from, it’s hard to think of a better spot than Scorpio Books.