Dozens of people queued down St Andrew St on Saturday morning when The Ink Pot opened its doors for the first time, to the delight of owner Colette Palmer.
Ms Palmer, who writes her own books under the pen name Colette Rhodes, said the days leading up to the store’s opening were "hectic" but the reception made the sleepless nights worth it.
"So rewarding — it just really felt like this real sense of community, the energy was incredible down the line, everyone was really excited," she said.
Romantasy — romance and fantasy — was by far the most popular sub-genre for sale.
"We’ve got some local Dunedin authors on the shelves, and it’s always such a pleasure when we scan their books through."
Work by local crafters was also for sale — Ms Palmer said she wanted the store to feel like a "real Dunedin space".
"It feels like a real dream come true to have it be well received, to have people excited about book clubs and events, and wanting to come back in."
She was one of first 20 customers, who got a goody bag.
It was great to see a like-minded book community in Dunedin, she said.
She often bought books second-hand but said it was nice to have a shop dedicated to romance, and which occasionally branched out into other genres such as fantasy and science fiction.
Standing in line, Samantha Montgomerie, of Dunedin, was glad to be able to support a local business, with a "great aesthetic".
