A year ago my favourite brick-and-mortar bookstore: Bookhouse St. Kilda on 52 Robe Street closed down. It was situated next to a neglected neighbourhood milk bar on an otherwise unspectacular, ordinary, residential street.
It was my favourite store because it didn't look like a store and I never had any intention of finding it. In an age where websites such as Broadsheet widely share neighbourhood secrets, wandering around and discovering a place you love for yourself is rare.
I was lost walking between the Esplanade and Balaclava train station on a wet and glum day where my spotty raincoat splashed the only colour in otherwise grayscale puddles and the cold consumed any sign of warmth or daylight. An aqua green door stood open, an extraordinary wall of orange Penguin titles stared me down and slow classical music murmured as I stepped inside.
An enormous collection of second-hand books predominantly on art, architecture, photography, design and some good literature awaited. I had never seen so many art books (especially secondhand) in the one place outside of the National Gallery Victoria store. I enjoyed that it was a rare brick-and-mortar bookstore which didn't have an overwhelming, overflowing stacks of books surrounding you. I wondered why I had never been here or heard of this place before. I vowed to come back and visit whenever I was in the neighbourhood.
When word spread round of the council shutting the store down, there was outrage and anger but alas nothing could be done.
For five years, Bookhouse humbly and quietly opened its aqua, green door for anyone to come and appreciate a good book. It brought joy and delight to the local community as a small respite from the bustling Esplanade. For me, a semi-regular visitor for a couple of years, it was beyond an unexpected, pleasant surprise: it was a slow, intimate, calm haven where you were bound to discover something beloved, it was a place which would always entice you back in search of the next read.
I was sad when it closed down. It forced me to reflect on the places we love which no longer exist. Change is inevitable in modern society, but I often wonder whether we cherish the places that exist today. I wonder whether anyone wanders around a neighbourhood without any expectations anymore and experiences the same rush of raw wonder I felt. I wonder if I would have ever found Bookhouse St. Kilda if I was busy on my phone looking at Broadsheet for places to eat and visit in the area.
Bookhouse St. Kilda still operates online and you can peruse through its extensive collection, but 52 Robe Street's door remains closed with blinds obstructing any remains of its past life.
I hope more than ever that Bookhouse finds a new home. I miss it very much.
With love,
Thomas
P.S. Where is your favourite place which you accidentally discovered? Send me an e-mail or a message, I would love to hear back from you.
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© 2026 Thomas Feng
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