Our history

Hi, I’m Bob Burch, founder of Arty Bees Books.

As an introduction to our web page, I feel it appropriate to give a light-hearted explanation as to how I came to “burst upon” the Wellington book scene some 18 years ago.

The first 44 years of my working life were spent as a Chartered Accountant or Company Secretary (apart from 3 years in the army and then the air force, where I was a flying instructor during the last few months of the war). In retrospect, I now realise how little personal "job satisfaction" I found, working for various employers, and not being my own boss. This dawned on me when I was made redundant at 60, when my then employer sold his business overnight to another company, and that my services were no longer required, “at my age”. This did little for my self-esteem!

Shortly afterwards, my wife and I found our relationship deteriorating after 34 years of mostly happy marriage, during which we raised our 5 children to adulthood. After a "trial separation”, we subsequently divorced. I moved into a small cottage, expecting a long, lonely retirement, with little expectation, at my age, of finding a new job or new love.

During the next 9 years I joined the Wellington Working Men's Club, played snooker and indoor bowls most evenings, and lawn bowls at weekends. During the day, I spent a lot of time browsing in second-hand bookshops, and also attending auction sales, where I found I could often buy cartons of old books very cheaply. Such “bargains” were too much of a temptation, and before long my small bedroom became very cramped with little room to move. This was when the idea of becoming a retailer first surfaced. It was either that, or move to a larger house!

When a small bookshop in Cuba Street became available in 1988, I “took the plunge”, and so launched my new career. I changed the shop name to ARTY BEE’S BOOKSHOP, using an acronym of my initials RTB. Six months later I purchased a second shop, trading as CAMBRIDGE BOOKS, which I later changed to COURTENAY BOOKS after a move around the corner to larger premises.

Both shops have relocated several times over the last 18 years, in each case to larger or better locations, using the names ARTY BEE’S BOOKS and BIZY BEE'S BOOKS. We have recently decided to re-brand both shops under the original ARTY BEES BOOKS umbrella name, identified by the addition of their respective locations. Both shops have new signage already installed.

In 1992 I was fortunate to meet Judith, whom I subsequently married, and she is now a Director and Shareholder in the Company. I appreciate the companionship and love which she has brought into my lonely life, and the wisdom and support she has provided to me.

When I turned 80 in 2003, I decided it was time to look to the future security of Arty Bees Books Ltd. I was delighted when my eldest daughter Pippa accepted an invitation to join the staff. Following my stroke in 2004, she has been appointed Group Manager, responsible for most of the administrative, accounting, taxation and and general policy areas which I handled before. She also assists Robynne in assessing and buying “house lots”, in computer research, and in pricing rare books. She also relieves on the shop counters to cover staff holidays and sickness. Together with the other members of the management team, Robynne, Matt and Jessica, I am delighted to know the shops are in such capable hands, and I salute them, not only for all their skills, but also for the friendship they have extended to Judith and I during their long employment with Arty Bees.

I am also proud of the wonderful shop staff we have employed over the years. They are all very knowledgeable about books and authors, and dedicated to providing efficient, warm, and friendly service to all our customers, both regulars, many of whom have become our friends, and visitors to our wonderful city. As both shops are open for business for at least 84 hours per week, over 7 days, we need an efficient roster system, and we thank them all for their co-operation in the smooth running of our business.

Not least, we thank our army of loyal customers – without you, we would not exist!

Shortly before I first entered the second hand book trade, Smiths Bookshop in Mercer Street had closed after giving many years of service to the booklovers of Wellington. I decided then that there was a gap to be filled. I now feel that Arty Bees Books may have achieved my dream.

Bob Burch (Founder)