McLeods Booksellers
Shopping & Markets
McLeods Booksellers is an independently owned bookshop that has been in business for nearly 80 years.
McLeods stocks a vast and eclectic range of books, including Māori and New Zealand titles, children’s books and journals. They’re passionate about books and the staff love to recommend their favourites, as well as order in anything they don’t have in store (including out of print books). They also stock music CDs. Come, browse and immerse yourself in good books and music.
McLeods Booksellers Ltd was formerly A. T. Coates Ltd. Arthur Coates opened the shop in 1896 when Rotorua was only a small town of around 500 people. The original shop was on either Arawa or Fenton Street and then moved to Tutanekai Street after WWI.
In 1943, after 47 years of business, Arthur Coates retired and sold the shop to Ken McLeod. Ken changed the name of the shop and registered it as McLeods Booksellers. The shop grew and many of the older residents talk fondly of the oak front and lush red carpet. In 1968 Ken McLeod sold the bookshop to Trevor Thorp, a bookseller from Otorohanga. The shop remained in the Thorp family until Rotorua local Prue des Forges purchased the business in late 2022.
McLeods Booksellers Ltd was formerly A. T. Coates Ltd. Arthur Coates opened the shop in 1896 when Rotorua was only a small town of around 500 people. The original shop was on either Arawa or Fenton Street and then moved to Tutanekai Street after WWI.
In 1943, after 47 years of business, Arthur Coates retired and sold the shop to Ken McLeod. Ken changed the name of the shop and registered it as McLeods Booksellers. The shop grew and many of the older residents talk fondly of the oak front and lush red carpet. In 1968 Ken McLeod sold the bookshop to Trevor Thorp, a bookseller from Otorohanga. The shop remained in the Thorp family until Rotorua local Prue des Forges purchased the business in late 2022.