Speaking on RTÉ’s Today With Pat Kenny radio program Derek Hughes of Hughes & Hughes has condemned the decision to allow WH Smith enter the market in Dublin Airport by awarding them the contract for Terminal Two saying: ‘You also have WH Smith in T2 (Terminal Two) which I think is a shame. T2 should represent the best of Irish retail, you may as well be in Manchester or Birmingham. All best Irish retailers should be represented and it would have been lovely to have Hughes & Hughes there.’

In a wide-ranging and open interview Hughes gave an explanation of the collapse of Hughes & Hughes in February 2010. According to the retailer, the business failed because of a huge drop in business principally at Dublin airport where passenger numbers dropped from 24 million to 18 million. Hughes said that the company had ‘a €12 million drop in turnover and we had actually an increase in our rents and we had rates going up significantly also … it didn’t add up’

Hughes has returned to bookselling with Sivota Ltd which now trades under the Hughes & Hughes brand and has now opened a seventh 6,000 sq foot store in the Jervis Street Centre which offers books, stationery, cards and toys and it sited in the former Waterstone’s store.

Speaking about the financial health of the company he said, ‘This year we’ll certainly get to break even. Within the retail business, and more especially the bookselling business, Christmas is absolutely critical to us.”

Asked about the impact of ebooks Hughes said that ‘the whole industry is hit by the ereaders, but the physical book itself is so important’ and that ereading had ‘captured about 20% of the market ..  it is a competitive threat.’ Hughes said, ‘we do have a strong digital strategy going forward … we will be a clicks and mortar retailer in 2012.’

This time around there is a greater focus on cards and stationery and Hughes has also developed a new in-store concept called Eureka, which involves a branded toys and games section aimed at babies to early teens.

Its being “fully road tested” in its Dundrum and Jervis stores before being expanded next year.

“We’ll be looking for standalone Eureka shops in 2012,” Hughes said confidently.

Hughes said sales are up 8 per cent on last year, which “in the current market is positive”.

Annual revenues are “north” of €6 million and the group is on target to hit break even this year.

via Hughes & Hughes revival stacks up – The Irish Times – Fri, Oct 07, 2011.

WH Smith is to open a store in the Arnotts department store in Dublin city centre.

The opening will mark the first time the retailer has opened in a location outside of an airport in the republic, although the company does have a high street store in Belfast.

The company’s career site is currently advertising the position of  supervisor for the store.

The store will operate as part of WH SMith’s Travel rather than the high street operation and will open in October 2011.

The Arnotts location puts the store in competition with the Eason’s flagship O’Connell Street branch and the newly opened Hughes & Hughes in the Jervis Street centre.

Hughes & Hughes booksellers, the Irish owned chain which collapsed in February 2010 before being revived under new ownership later that year, has opened a branch in Jervis Street shopping centre.

The new store opened earlier this month and occupies space previously the home of Waterstones until that chain closed two of its Dublin stores earlier this year.

The opening of the store in Jervis means that Hughes & Hughes now has seven stores in total. The bookseller plans to revamp for their website in the run up to Christmas.

Image Credit
http://www.jervis.ie/dublin/shopping/hughes_hughes

Dubray books has opened a second bookshop in Dun Laoghaire.

The store is in the former Swalk Card and Gift shop with entrances on George’s Street and into Dun Laoghaire shopping centre.

The company owns the Swalk operation and the existing and considerably larger Dubray store on the third floor of Dun Laoghaire Shopping centre has been reorganized to cater for a large Swalk concession.

Adrian White from Dubrary said by email, ‘The advantage of having a bookshop on the main street is obvious and, in a way, it’s the perfect companion to what has always been a very large stock-holding shop upstairs.’

He also said that the company hopes to, ‘make our new shop both small and beautiful.’

With the closure of Easons George’s street store Dubray is now the only bookseller of new books with a George’s street frontage. Eason’s Marine Road store is in the former Hughes & Hughes branch closed following that company’s collapse in 2010.

Hughes & Hughes has used the online coupon site Boards Deals to promote its new cafe’s in Swords and Dundrum.

The offer, lunch with a drink and dessert for two for only €10.00, is open to anyone and is valid in both of the new Cafe Libro locations.

The move is the first time a bookseller has used the rapidly growing online coupon market to boost sales.

Companies see value in the deals because they drive cash flow in the short term despite high discounts required and commissions paid to the intermediary.

Eason is to close its Georges Street, Dun Laoghaire store and has placed the property for let through HWBC.

The company currently operates two stores in Dun Laoaghire, the store on George’s street and one on Marine Road which the company opened in June 2010.

The Marine Road store had previously been one of Hughes & Hughes’ flagship stores but, after that company went into liquidation in April 2010, Easons acquired a lease on the property and opened their store in the premises.

The 1,200 square metre store on Marine Road is nearly three times larger and considerably more modern than the Georgre’s Street premises which has 407 square metres over three floors.

The Marine Road store also has a coffee shop run by Costa Coffee.

Note: Edited to correct errors regarding status of the George’s Street store which remains in operation for now.

Penguin Ireland published their controversial new book, The Fitzpatrick Tapes on Sunday 9th January 2011 by delivering copies of the titles to stores early in the morning. The ebook won’t be available because of the secretive publishing process (read about the measures Penguin Ireland took here).

So can you buy the book online?
Bestseller.ie ~ YES First with it too as far as I can tell, nice win for them
The Book Depository ~ YES
Amazon.com ~  NO
Amazon.co.uk ~ YES
Play.com ~ YES
Easons ~ YES
Penguin’s Own Website ~ YES ~ BUT, it is listed now as an ebook (though not for sale)
Kenny’s ~ YES

Special mention ~ Hughes & Hughes, while not offering the facility to buy, do at least have the book featured on their website!

The Dundrum store previously housed a Starbucks coffee shop (though that feel victim to Starbucks reorganization of it’s Irish operation), it will be interesting to see how well this new operation fare:

Cafe Libro, Hughes& Hughes’ brand new coffee shop, will open soon in Dundrum. Do you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the shopping centre? Pay a visit to Dundrum where, from January, you will be able to unwind in quiet and friendly surroundings, let your little ones play in our fantastic new children’s play area, and choose from a tantalising range of homemade soups, sandwiches and salads as well as a range of excellent Fair Trade Coffee, Teas and Hot Chocolate. Enjoy your morning coffee on the mezzanine overlooking the Wicklow Mountains or stay for lunch and take some time to browse our 53000 titles.

via NEWS | Hughes & Hughes.

|Image Credits|

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An emotional Emma Donoghue spoke of the importance of recognition by her homeland as she accepted the Hughes & Hughes Irish Novel Of The Year Award at Thursday evening’s ‘Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards in the Round Room Of the Mansion House.

It was a theme echoed by many of the winners, including Maeve Binchy who was awarded with a lifetime achievement award by the guest of Honour for the evening, President Mary McAleese.

Perhaps the least surprising winner of the evening was Late Last show host, Ryan Tubridy who won the Newcomer Of The Year Award.

Donal Óg Cusack won the John Murray Listeners’ Choice Award, Donal Skehan won the IES Irish Published Book Of The Year, Neil Richardson won the Argosy Irish Non-Fiction Book Of The Year, Ross O’Carroll-Kelly the Easons Popular Fiction Book Of The Year, Gene Kerrigan won the Ireland AM Crime Fiction Book Of The Year,  Niamh Sharkey took the Junior category of the DAA Irish Children’s Book Of The Year while Derek Landy took the senior category as well as accepting his Book of the Decade award.

Tom Owens, Trading Director Eason and Chairman of the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards, said, ‘The Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards allow us the opportunity to celebrate and honour Ireland’s best literary talent. This year’s winning authors illustrate the diversity and vibrancy of the Irish book world, and each book is an outstanding literary achievement in its own right. As a country, we should be incredibly proud of these authors and the wealth of home-grown talent we have on offer.’

The full list of winners
The Hughes & Hughes Irish Novel of the Year: Room by Emma Donoghue (Picador)
RTÉ Radio 1′s The John Murray Show Listeners’ Choice Award: Come What May by Donal Og Cusack (Penguin Ireland)
The Ireland AM Irish Crime Fiction Book of the Year: Dark Times in the City by Gene Kerrigan (Vintage)
The Argosy Irish Non-Fiction Book of the Year: A Coward If I Return A Hero If I Fall by Neil Richardson (O’Brien Press)
Eason Irish Popular Fiction Book of the Year: The Oh My God Delusion by Ross O’Carroll Kelly (Penguin Ireland)
Energise Sport Irish Sports Book of the Year: A Football Man by John Giles (Hachette Books Ireland)
Irish Newcomer of the Year: JFK in Ireland: Four Days that Changed a President by Ryan Tubridy (Collins)
International Education Services Best Irish Published Book of the Year: Good Mood Food by Donal Skehan (Mercier)
The Dublin Airport Authority Irish Children’s Book of the Year:
Junior - On the Road with Mavis and Marge by Niamh Sharkey (Walker Books)
Senior – Skulduggery Pleasant: Mortal Coil by Derek Landy (Harper Collins Children’s Books)