Beloved bookstore up for sale

SARAH DUNN - Nelson Mail - 11 March 2014

MARTIN DE RUYTER/FAIRFAX NZ

NEW CHAPTER: Peter Rigg and Susi Blackmore outside their shop Page and Blackmore in Trafalgar St. They are putting their business up for sale.

One of New Zealand's most beloved bookshops is going up for sale for the first time.
Page and Blackmore booksellers has been named New Zealand's Independent Bookseller of the Year twice, and best bookshop in the South Island three times. Today is its first day on the market.

Located in Trafalgar St, Page and Blackmore was founded by two married couples, Susi and Tim Blackmore and Peter and Ann Rigg, in 1998. Each couple already operated a bookstore in Trafalgar St, and the creation of Page and Blackmore was meant as a merger which would put the owners of both Blackmore's Booksellers and Pages Bookshop in a stronger position.

At the time, the Riggs and Blackmores issued a joint note to customers: "The expanded business will combine our strengths as knowledgeable booksellers and specialised magazine and technical book retailers."
"It was actually Tim that just happened to be in our shop one day," Mr Rigg said this morning. "He said, ‘If we ever combined, it'd be an awesome shop."'


The two sets of owners spentmonths scouting for the right location. Mr Rigg said he was alerted to the present building going up for sale by a regular customer of Pages Bookshop, who waited at the counter while Mr Rigg "shot across" and secured it. 
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