For Kimberley Guy, taking over The Children’s Bookshop was a chance to bring a childhood dream to life. After 20 years working in children’s health, she stepped into her new role with a belief in the power of children’s books to nurture young minds, strengthen the bond between caregivers and children, and offer a rich sensory experience. She hopes to help every child, including the most reluctant reader, discover a book that resonates with them. Now running the business online from home, she is working towards opening a welcoming, inclusive physical shop where families can share stories and children can explore their imagination. Here, Kimberley talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the passion behind her business, the challenges she has overcome, and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to start your business?
Running a bookshop has been a dream of mine since I was a child. I remember playing bookshops with a friend of mine, writing mini books and then playing shop to sell them to each other. Of course, life evolves and you end up following different paths, but that dream never really left me. In the years leading up to taking over the business, I connected back into that dream and started envisioning what a children’s bookshop might look like, how it would feel and what it could be. I really wanted to create a space with an old-world feeling but that celebrated diversity and inclusion – a place where everyone would feel welcome and seen. I believe children’s books are such an important tool in the development of young minds, building connection between caregiver and child as well as providing a whole sensory experience. It is my hope that even the most reluctant reader can find a book that resonates with them.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
The Children’s Bookshop has existed in Christchurch for decades, but, after losing its iconic flagship store in the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, it faced many challenges and many different iterations. I had been working in children’s health for the last 20 years and was ready for a change when the opportunity to take over the business as an online store came up in 2024. Stepping into the business world was a pretty big culture shock and the learning curve felt almost vertical. Some days it still does. When I first started out, I continued working in the health field but found I really wasn’t able to give enough time to understand and grow the business. So I ended up leaving the comfort of a salaried role to really lean into my dream of bringing that vision to life. We have really focused on growing both the quantity and quality of books we stock, although actually having to choose which books to stock can be so hard when there are so many wonderful books out there.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Having an online business that is based from home works well for our family. It gives me the flexibility to be available to participate in my daughter’s life for things like athletics days and special assemblies. I’m really lucky to have a supportive husband, family and friends who help out whenever they can. We also make a conscious effort to have dedicated family time with no phones or devices, whether that means sitting down together to play a game or read a book, or heading out adventuring. I think the biggest gift you can give your child is your presence (and maybe a book).
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
Being a newcomer to the business, bookselling and ecommerce world all at the same time means the learnings have been numerous but the biggest challenge by far has been me. I have, at times, been almost paralysed by imposterism, asking myself, “Who do I think I am to step into this world?” I assumed that everyone else had it all figured out, and the self-doubt that creeps in has sometimes stopped me from saying yes to opportunities that might really drive my business forward. What has really helped has been finding the right professionals to have around me, making contacts in the industry and being confident enough to ask some of those naive questions when needed. Having a digital marketing professional on board recently has really taught me a lot about ecommerce and how to reach customers. Engaging a business mentor to help guide me towards opening a physical store and give me those reality checks when the dreamer in me takes over is invaluable. Having a great accountant is also essential to understanding the financial aspect of your business.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
The flexibility that comes with running your own business is such an advantage. It means I can make myself available for my family when they need me and still attend sports day, special assemblies, etc. At the same time, that flexibility means possibly working at all hours of the day or night to get the work done. It can be hard working by yourself. Trying to fill the roles of every aspect of the business can make you feel like you can never do any one area justice, but networking and bringing in professionals to support in the areas you feel least confident in can really help your business thrive.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
We still operate in the online-only space for now, but love getting out for collaborations with other like-minded businesses as well as pop-up shops to really get to know our community. We are working hard towards improving our online store experience as well as bringing to life that vision of having a permanent physical shop within the next 12 months. With a physical store presence, we will be able to run events that celebrate and encourage a love of reading and inspire imagination and creativity.
Visit The Children’s Bookshop website to find out more and to check out their range of books. You can also connect with them on Instagram and Facebook.
