Gould’s Books to reopen on King St’s south end

The Newtown institution will begin a new chapter after over 50 years of operation.

The iconic left-wing bookstore has operated for more than five decades and faced closure last October after rental prices increased. Owner Natalie Gould was told by the landlord that they would be given three months notice to leave the premises after they could no longer afford to pay rent.

The bookstore has signed a new lease on 536 King Street in July, nearby the New Theatre and Newtown Garden Centre.

The Newtown stalwart was once an iconic Sydney University hangout and has been a proudly left-wing business for decades. It was once a rallying centre for anti-Vietnam War protesters, and in modern times, has substituted as an unofficial office helping asylum seekers.

Once billed as Australia’s largest retailer of used, out-of-print and rare books, the store will move to a new premises that is only a quarter of the size of its current home.

With more than a million books in its orbit, the task of sorting out which books to take to the new store, and which to transfer to their Marrickville warehouse will be a difficult one.

August 26 will be Gould’s Book Arcade’s final day at the current premises, before opening the new store in September. A large two week sale is planned as a farewell to their home, and to find these books a good home.