There are a few reasons I can suggest for why this bookshop has survived while others have failed. The building itself is distinctive - it began life as a dairy in the 1930s. Inside, the shop has a cosy vibe that makes you want to settle in and browse. And the owner, Willie, is friendly, helpful, and hugely knowledgeable about books.
The bookshop boasts an extensive children's collection, plus shelves full of Australian history, including Dandenong Ranges history. There are gardening books, the classics, crime, and lots of quirky titles as well, including, when I visited, an old Foy and Gibson catalogue.
Willie knows his prices, so while the books aren't cheap, they also aren't excessive. And the quality of his stock is excellent.
There's book-related furniture and a particularly delightful and unusual rotating bookcase to be found within the shop as well.
Kallista Books is open on Saturdays and Sundays (follow the signs from the village roundabout). If there's a particular title you're looking for, ask, as not all of Willie's stock is on display (hard though that may be to believe, with so many books).
Other places to visit in Kallista include Grant's Picnic Ground, which has walking trails and birdlife, and the Kallista Tea Rooms, if you're looking for somewhere for coffee or lunch.
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