About - The Chestnut Tree Book Shop

About The Chestnut Tree Bookshop & Cafe

You have found a small locally owned business – an independent bookshop and café on the land of Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people and Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation.

We Plant Trees

Buy any of our wide range of fiction or non-fiction books to help plant native trees in the bushfire-affected areas of Australia.

The Chestnut Tree Bookshop is committed to being a positive force for community, people and the environment.

It takes trees to make books, and we believe it is our responsibility to make sure that we replenish the trees and the environment. It’s why we use recycled and carbon-neutral products wherever we can, and it’s why we’ve partnered with Carbon Positive Australia.

In addition to regular donations, we plant a tree for every $50 online purchas!

OUR BOOKSHOP

At The Chestnut Tree we are devoted to fostering a community space. Join us for story time for kids, poetry readings and book clubs, and find a relaxed space to meet with friends for a snack or enjoy a hot drink while you get some work or study done.
Our staff are all keen readers and love to help with recommendations, whether you’re looking for a great read for yourself or a fantastic gift. We stock a wide range of fiction, non-fiction, and children’s and young adult books. If you’re after something specific that we don’t have in stock, just get in touch and we’ll be very happy to order it for you.
To keep up to date on new releases, great reads, and upcoming events, sign up to our newsletter and follow us on instagram or facebook.

OUR CAFE

In our café we use coffee beans roasted locally by Rumble Coffee Roasters in Kensington. Don’t drink caffeine? No problem! We also offer Rumble decaf, plus Konomi pure stone ground matcha, teas by Beit e’Shai, chai by Raja Chai and Mork 70% specialty hot chocolate. If you’re looking for a cold drink we stock a range of San Pellegrino sparkling drinks. We stock Manuko treats which are all vegan and gluten free, as well as biscuits from Costa’s Biskotery and the ever popular gingerbread people by Motte Bakery.

Meet The Team

REEM

Founder & Owner

SHE/HER

Enjoys oat matcha with honey on gloomy days, reader of anything but fondest of japanese fiction, currently on maternity leave, pottering away in the garden. Reem is the visionary and creator of this bookshop.

Millie

Book Seller

SHE/HER

Lover of english breakky tea, currently learning to knit, reader of literary fiction and resonates most with Roald Dahl’s ‘Matilda’.

Millie runs our general fiction book club!

Eve

Book seller

SHE/HER

Lover of oat lattes, reader of literary fiction, resonates most with Heidi Mckinnon’s ‘Floof’. At any given moment Eve’s outfit is mostly thrifted. Eve looks after our events!

Amelia

Manager

SHE/HER

Lover of all strong coffee, non-practicing vegetarian, resonates most with Ted Prior’s ‘Grug’ and reader of all things LGBTQIA+. Amelia is our book buyer!

Lucinda

Book Seller

SHE/HER

Lover of oat matchas with honey, reader of historical fiction, film school graduate who hasn’t watched any films and resonates most with the mouse in Julia Donaldson’s ‘The Gruffalo’. Lucinda runs our Decolonise your Shelf book club!

cAMERON

Book Seller

SHE/HER

Weird literary fiction reader, cat person and latte-artist-in-training. You may recognise Cameron from BookTok where she posts reviews and recommendations as Slaggy Book Club. Cameron resonates most with Lynley Dodd’s ‘Slinky Malinki’.