Supporting Bookshops and Your Loved Ones: I had a Book Delivered to my Mum From the Ballina Book Shop

A Two-For-One Deal: Supporting Bookshops and Your Loved Ones

It’s the Easter long weekend and normally we’d be visiting my mother in Ballina, northern NSW (Bluesfest is close by). But this year, things are a little different for us, and the world is in isolation. I missed my mum, thought she might miss us (maybe not, who knows) and so decided to send her a copy of Natasha Lester’s The Paris Secret. A few hours with this delicious novel and you’ll really forget all about COVID-19.

Now let’s shift gears and talk about bookshops. We love them, but they’re struggling. Like all businesses they’ve taken a major hit, and some have even closed. But many are open for business, taking your orders online, via the phone and even at the door of the shop.

Some are doing home deliveries.

Home delivered books? From an independent? Count me in.

I called the Ballina Bookshop and had a chat to Mandy. They are certainly open for business and there to support booklovers in the Ballina area by doing contactless home deliveries. It’s free for orders over $20, and a surcharge of only $5 for orders under $20 or for people living in nearby Alstonville and Lennox Head.

If we all send a loved one a book at this time, from an independent bookstore that needs support, we’ll be sharing the love in all directions.

Two hours after I ordered The Paris Secret, Mandy from The Ballina Book Shop delivered it to Mum’s door. It might not be the same as us visiting this Easter… but it made her day. In fact, Mum might like it better.