When Retail Ambition Rewrites the Rules: Inside Auckland's Most Innovative Bookstore

I've been in retail for over 30 years, and I thought I'd seen every possible way to reinvent a bookstore. Then I walked into Enamoured Books on opening day, and Ruby Wallace proved me gloriously wrong. 

This isn't just Auckland’s first romance bookstore. It's a masterclass in how to build a retail ecosystem that makes customers never want to leave (and I love it!) 

Picture this: A young entrepreneur with serious retail ambition decides to open a brick-and-mortar bookstore in 2025. Not just any bookstore - one dedicated entirely to romance novels. In an era where many proclaim the death of physical retail, Ruby Wallace looked at the market and said, "Hold my mimosa." 

And she was absolutely right to be confident. 

While some in the industry debate whether physical bookstores could survive, Ruby identified something powerful: romance book sales in the US doubled from 18 million to 39 million copies between 2020 and 2023. More importantly, she recognised this wasn't just a sales spike - it was a cultural shift. Romance was coming out of the bedside drawer and onto the coffee table. And she is riding the wave where incredible bookstores are positioning their experiences and driving a renaissance of sorts. 

What makes enamoured books absolutely brilliant 

Walking into this stores is simply divine and you immediately understand this isn't traditional retail. Ruby has created what I can only describe as a romance lifestyle ecosystem and it's delightful genius. 

The space speaks to you immediately. Blush-toned walls, comfortable couches where you can curl up with your new purchase, and strategic curation divided into "Sweet" and "Spicy" sections. No awkward wandering - everything is exactly where you need it to be. 

But here's where Ruby shows her strategic brilliance: four distinct event series that turn casual customers into community members. 

Monthly Book Club hosted by Carwen Jones (ZM radio producer and BookToker) - $10 gets you entry, a beverage, and discussions that feel like catching up with your smartest friend about literary obsessions. 

"Sexy Sundays" - monthly empowerment workshops from boudoir photography to confidence building ($79). Ruby's positioning? "Making sure all that smut can become your reality." Talk about knowing your audience. 

"Pages of Passion" - author launches with mimosas, pastries, and exclusive gift bags. This isn't your grandmother's book signing - it's a celebration. 

"For The Vibes" - creative programming including art exhibitions and life drawing classes ($115). Because why shouldn't a romance bookstore also be Auckland's most interesting cultural hub? 

The business model that changes everything 

What Ruby has built isn't just innovative - it's commercially smart in ways that make my strategist heart sing. 

Multiple revenue streams: traditional retail, event ticketing ($10-$115), food & beverage, exclusive merchandise, and partnership revenue. Plus "Quiet Nights" every Tuesday with extended hours and atmospheric lighting - community engagement without formal barriers. 

Ruby Wallace has solved the equation puzzling retailers for years: How do you compete with digital convenience while justifying physical space? 

Her answer is deceptively simple: Stop trying to compete on convenience. Win on experience and community. 

The strategic lessons that apply everywhere 

Deep niche specialisation: works going incredibly narrow in category focus, and it creates more sustainable business than trying to serve everyone. Romance readers are passionate, underserved, and willing to pay premium for curated experiences. 

Cultural timing Is everything: Ruby capitalised on romance destigmatisation, BookTok influence, and post-COVID community hunger. Success isn't just about products - it's about reading cultural moments correctly. 

Authentic experience integration: Every event connects authentically to the romance community's interests. Nothing feels bolted-on or performative. 

Smart media partnerships: By partnering with established personalities, Ruby borrows credibility and social reach without huge marketing spend. 

The questions every retailer should ask 

Ruby's foray (and I sincerely hope success) raises questions for many: 

1. Are we trying to be everything to everyone instead of becoming essential to someone specific? 

2. What cultural conversations should our brands be part of? 

3. How can we create experiences customers can't get anywhere else? 

4. What community already exists around our category that we're not serving? 

   
   

Our Hot Take 

Enamoured Books isn't just a bookstore success story. It's a blueprint for community-driven retail in the experience economy. 

Ruby Wallace looked at a "dying" category, identified an "underserved" niche, and built something online retail can never replicate: a place where customers belong. 

That's not just good retail. That's retail excellence. 

The future of retail isn't about selling products. It's about creating experiences that customers never want to leave. 

Ruby Wallace figured that out through pure retail ambition, strategic thinking, nouse and a good dose of passion. 

Enamoured Books 

346 Remuera Road, Remuera, Auckland 1050 

Website: enamouredbooks.co.nz 

What retail innovations have caught your attention lately? I'd love to hear about the spaces and concepts that are redefining what customer experience can be.

Drop me a line - these are the conversations that help us all think differently about what's possible. 

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 At RX Group, we know that great retail lives at the intersection of experience, product, and place. In this ongoing series, our team digs into new and established stores - from best-kept secrets to buzzy openings - to spotlight what’s working, what’s wow, and what’s worth watching.