Iconic Townsville bookshop Mary Who? to move into permanent new home
In a delightful plot twist, what started out as an emergency for a popular Townsville bookshop Mary Who? has turned out to be a success story. See where they’re relocating permanently.
The family behind long-running Townsville bookshop Mary Who? will turn the page on a challenging year when they settle into a new permanent location in early 2026, nearby their current pop-up store.
Since its opening in 1976, the Mary Who? independent bookshop has undergone two ownership changes, with ex-ADF members Katie and Zac Solari taking up the reins of the business last May, when it was located at 414 Flinders St.
In October, a breakdown in negotiations with their landlords forced the Solari family to relocate the business, at short notice, into a temporary home in Idalia’s Fairfield and Co retail complex on Darcy Drive – between World Gym and Greencross Vets.
Encouraged by a lift in foot traffic and positive feedback from the community, the Solari’s recently confirmed plans to move permanently into another commercial space at Fairfield and Co.
Mr Solari said they had found the perfect little spot, a “cozy” space just around the corner between Urban Climb and Fitstop, where they expected to relocate in February or March, 2026 – to avoid disruption during the busy Christmas trading period.
“We have just been inundated with so much positive feedback from so many of our customers – both old customers and longstanding customers who’ve been loyal to Mary Who? for years, and then obviously all these new customers who had never even heard of Mary Who? because there’s just so many people that don’t go to the city anymore,” Mr Solari said.
The new permanent space will feature improved visibility, and a fit-out that retained the beloved bookshop’s character and charm, with custom cabinetry and creative embellishments by local artists.
While disappointed to leave the CBD, he said it had become an increasingly challenging place to operate in, due to accessibility issues for young families and older customers, the cost and difficulty for parking, anti-social behaviour, and the general retail decline.
“It wasn’t that we wanted to leave the city but once we left and had established ourselves and people knew where we were, it was a really positive thing,” he said.
“We had to make the best decision for the business going forward, making sure that we had our long-term goals in mind and that we could stay open for many years to come.”
For more information, visit: marywhobookshop.com.au.
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Originally published as Iconic Townsville bookshop Mary Who? to move into permanent new home
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