Hill of Content bookstore moves store book by book in human chain across Melbourne street

Australian Community Media

After 103 years in the same location on Bourke Street, Melbourne, the Hill of Content bookstore has moved down the road, enlisting the help of the community to shift its 16,000 catalogue from one store to another.

Transcript

00:00Melbourne's oldest bookshop is packing up and moving to a new location, thanks to the

00:04heavy lifting of dozens of book lovers.

00:08I'm here on Bourke Street outside the Hill of Content bookshop where a human chain has

00:12formed to move piles and piles of books.

00:16The bookshop was opened back in 1922 and has a strong following here in Melbourne.

00:21These voracious readers have come down to support the owners after this building was

00:25sold and the shop was forced to move from 86 Bourke Street all the way to 32 Bourke Street.

00:31So why are these book lovers so eager to spend their Thursday morning in the winter frost?

00:37It feels like it's always been here and whenever we go in, it's warm and cosy, very comfortable

00:43to be in and just a nice place to be.

00:46So this is very exciting, last book coming down the line.

00:49And it is Hill of Content.

00:51Oh, that was clever.

00:53How was, um, how's the day been?

00:55Really, really good.

00:56Yeah?

00:57Really fabulous.

00:58What made you come down here?

00:59Um, we're passionate book lovers.

01:00Um, we like the idea of independent bookstores and just that whole idea of being able to be

01:05a part of something that, in a world that's pretty bleak, um, to be a part of something

01:10that's a community and encouraging people to read.

01:14Wonderful.

01:15I think it's just because I, like, really like a lot of books and it's fun to see what

01:22type of books other people like to read as well.

01:25Were you worried about wet weather?

01:26What would you have done if, um, the rain had started?

01:29Um, I've got my umbrella in my pocket.

01:32Hey, come prepared.

01:34I used to work over at 50 Lawnsdale Street and I'd come over here at my lunch time as

01:38a break from being a public servant and just prowl around the bookshops and always walk

01:42home with something.

01:43Love it.

01:44Um, and how was the day today?

01:46How did you enjoy it?

01:47Very good, very fast.

01:48I thought we'd be here all day but we're finished already.

01:50It took just over an hour to do it all, 4,000 books.

01:52Like they say, many hands make light work.

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