Poneke-Wellington book communities received a major recharge on Saturday night (July 30) when local bookshop, Unity Books, won the premier award at the annual Booksellers Aotearoa Industry Awards in Auckland.

Unity Wellington won the coveted award of NZ Bookseller of the Year at the Booksellers Aotearoa conference which also celebrated the industry association’s centenary.

Unity Books co-owners, Jo McColl and Tilly Lloyd, attribute the win to great books and the people who read them.

“We’ve never had better publishing. The books are even more potent than ever. And the widest variety of people are even more avid about them. We are lucky and grateful.”

Unity Books Wellington Manager, Adrian Hardingham, said all 22 staff members were ecstatic.

“And deservedly so. You couldn’t find a better group,” he said.

The Willis St shop – a 54 year old ‘start-up’ – was founded by sportsman Alan Preston in 1967.

Other winners at the book trade dinner included Vic Books Pipitea shop manager, Lisa Adler, who took home the Best Emerging Bookseller Award, and David and Jenny Hedley, of Hedley’s Booksellers Masterton, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award.