Decades-old New Plymouth bookshop reincarnated as Huatoki Bookstore
A Taranaki couple has opened the Huatoki Bookstore, reviving a long-standing local tradition of physical book retail in New Plymouth. The owners believe there is a resilient market for tactile, physical media despite the dominance of digital alternatives.
Why it matters
The store's opening highlights a niche but persistent cultural pushback against the total digitization of retail and media consumption.
A Taranaki couple are defying the digital revolution and retail downturn to open that most tactile of businesses - a bookshop.
Robin Martin Taranaki Whanganui regional correspondent 8 September 2026 6 min read Caption: The new Huatoki Bookstore invites visitors to sit and take in a few pages at their leisure. Photo credit: RNZ / Robin Martin A Taranaki couple are defying the digital revolution and retail downturn to open that most tactile of businesses - a bookshop. Rebranded the Huatoki Bookstore, the Brougham Street business shares a lineage with New Plymouth bookshops dating back several decades. Owning a bookshop was a long forgotten dream of Huatoki Bookstore co-owner Kelvin Stephens - but then one day inspiration hit him again.
Owners of the Huatoki Bookstore Julianne Lafferty (L) and Kelvin Stephens believe people want a break from screens.
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