Paper Plus Alexandra has always been a local bookstore but it has just become even more local now that sisters Sam and Stevie Robinson have bought it. 

The Paardekooper family of Cromwell have owned both Cromwell and Alexandra Paper Plus and after 36 years were looking to pass the baton and approached long time manager Sam.

Sam, whose main focus is her three-year-old son Bohdi, felt that ownership may be a little much for her to tackle on her own; enter Stevie, who was close to the end of her ‘children chapter’, and looking for her new passion project.

The partnership made complete sense to both sisters, and they said it was an emotional decision for the Paardekoopers “because it was one of Michael’s legacies, his passion was Paper Plus and its people, and it’s the end of an era for the family”.  

The sisters have strengths in different areas - Stevie loves numbers and details and Sam already has 20 years of the historical inner workings of Paper Plus Alexandra under her belt. 

Born only 22 months apart, the sisters say they were raised to work hard and nurture relationships in all aspects of their lives. 

The Robinson family have lived in Alexandra for generations and going forward the business will have a strong family focus, both in the shop, and in support from behind the scenes, from parents, partners, and friends. 

In true family style, Stevie’s oldest daughter Myah has also worked at Paper Plus, so has the sisters’ mum Robyn, as well as sister Shaun, and now Stevie’s youngest daughter Dayla works there too. 

The two sisters first worked together as teenagers, at the Post Office Restaurant in Clyde, but have followed different career paths since then. 

Stevie was front of house manager at The Finery until recently and is looking forward to combining her skills with Sam’s to work together again. 

She said when Sam asked her to become a business partner there wasn’t a lot to think about: “I wanted to break into something for myself, and doing it with Sam just made sense.” 

They want Paper Plus Alexandra to continue being a community hub where people always feel welcomed. 

Since announcing the news on Facebook the sisters’ post has had 52,000 hits across the platform - and lots of encouragement. The sisters were blown away by the many well-wishers. 

“Paper Plus is a co-operative but they are all run slightly differently,” Sam said. 

While there was a core range of stock throughout the country, franchise owners still had control over what they purchased for their customers and to meet the needs of their local community. 

Supporting local authors, events, fundraisers and clubs remains an important aspect of the success of the business. 

“The Paardekoopers have done a great job and we know that if we look after the community, in return they will look after us,” Sam said. 

They both know there will be challenges ahead and that retail can be tough, but they believe that consistency, hard work, and perseverance will pay off.  

Stevie said they will work hard to make sure the great vibe of the store continues, and she’s looking forward to her new venture alongside an established long-serving team. 

Sam said they have been entrusted to continue the legacy that the Paardekoopers have created with the solid business and highly valued staff already in place. 

Keep an eye out for the big change of ownership sale next Friday August 1, where the public will be invited to come and enjoy discounts and treats in-house. 

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