Readings

The WORST customer service I have ever experienced. Staff were rude and condescending. Despite paying for gift wrapping, staff refused to gift wrap or refund the gift wrapping. While I understand that this was on closing, the way the staff dealt with this was completely unprofessional. I was told to «get out of the store, go to coles, buy some scissors and cellophane and do it yourself» with a sheet of wrapping paper thrown at me. Absolutely horrible! I will never go back.

Book shops rock. I want to work in one. I spend way too much time in them, buy too many books and can’t keep up with reading between work and study.
This Readings is the closest one to my day job and I spend way too much time in here. I still haven’t gotten in the Kindle yet. I like flicking through hard copy pages.
I sound like Forrest Gump in this review, don’t I?

Readings is a renowned independent Melbourne book store. They now have six locations around town, but each has its own intentionally unique character — the Hawthorn store is no exception.
These guys know books. But they also ‘get’ social media and emerging tech; and their range of stocked titles is excellent. In a world of downloadable books and the resultant impact on ‘bricks and mortar’ stores, they’re doing a lot right to keep pace both on and offline. That being said, their in-​store staff are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable in a way that I don’t feel an online shopping cart could ever be.
The store location itself was moved a couple of years ago from across the road to its current, bigger location. There’s now a dedicated events space that plays host to several groups (a knitting collective!), and through a door at the back is the delightful ‘Bread and Jam for Frances’ Café.
A great place for those of us that occasionally like to indulge in the tactile delight of the bound, printed word. Also the place most responsible for the ever-​growing reading pile next to my bed.