Easons at Heuston Station closed

Beechwoodspark · 02-04-2019 8:53am #1

The main Easons store at Heuston station has permanently closed since last weekend.

I think it has been there since the mid 90s, possibly earlier?

I for one will be sad to see it go. It was a great facility to have in Heuston and will be missed. Great to have a place to browse and buy books there and also special occasion cards etc were available. Helpful and informed staff.

I am surprised it has closed as I often saw it rammed with customers and long queues at the check out.

The smaller easons concession that sells newspapers and magazines is remaining open.

I remember great excitement there one morning when one of the Harry Potter books was released and a crowd of school pupils got off a train and went directly there to buy copies.

Does anyone want to share memories?

Jamie2k9 · 02-04-2019 9:51am

Connolly will follow once M&S opens.

loyatemu · 02-04-2019 9:52am

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Connolly will follow once M&S opens.

is there an Easons in Connolly?

ongarboy · 02-04-2019 9:58am

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Connolly will follow once M&S opens.

Is M&S opening in Connolly too?

In relation to Easons, I remember the major revamp of Heuston back in the 90s when I first moved to Dublin. It really was impressive. In fairness OP, is your comment about queues in the books and gift shop accurate? I always felt that store was much quieter and almost forgotten about whereas the more prominent newsagent outlet was constantly busy with queues.

I probably use Heuston only about 3 times a year now if I choose not to drive home to culchie land but recently noticed the 3 identikit cafes have been replaced by an Insomnia Coffee, Rolling Donut and Street Food cafe. I think that is a better mix as the former cafes all sold the same product. Although, does it mean there is no place in Heuston that now does freshly made up sandwiches? - that would be a loss of choice. I think a Chopped would do great there.

L1011 · 02-04-2019 10:08am

Eason in Connolly is a franchise, it may still survive M&S as it's basically a tobacconist

Beechwoodspark · 02-04-2019 1:48pm

ongarboy wrote: »

Is M&S opening in Connolly too?

In relation to Easons, I remember the major revamp of Heuston back in the 90s when I first moved to Dublin. It really was impressive. In fairness OP, is your comment about queues in the books and gift shop accurate? I always felt that store was much quieter and almost forgotten about whereas the more prominent newsagent outlet was constantly busy with queues.

I probably use Heuston only about 3 times a year now if I choose not to drive home to culchie land but recently noticed the 3 identikit cafes have been replaced by an Insomnia Coffee, Rolling Donut and Street Food cafe. I think that is a better mix as the former cafes all sold the same product. Although, does it mean there is no place in Heuston that now does freshly made up sandwiches? - that would be a loss of choice. I think a Chopped would do great there.

I’d say since the new year it has quietened down but definitely last Christmas week it was mad busy from what I could see. Fair enough it was the busiest time of the year. But other times of the year I’ve noticed it very busy.

One thing I noticed also was they seemed to reduce their stock over the last few years. They also got rid of dvd and cd section. Streaming has hit those products hard I think.

Jamie2k9 · 02-04-2019 8:46pm

L1011 wrote: »

Eason in Connolly is a franchise, it may still survive M&S as it's basically a tobacconist

Possibly but Easons, Two Coffee Shops and the shop down by P5-7. Would be surprised if they all survive. Heuston also lost two coffee shops since M&S however one has been replaced with something different now.

Not sure Connolly has the footfall which will buy snaks before boarding a train unlike at Heuston.

Grandeeod · 03-04-2019 5:24pm

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

I’d say since the new year it has quietened down but definitely last Christmas week it was mad busy from what I could see. Fair enough it was the busiest time of the year. But other times of the year I’ve noticed it very busy.

One thing I noticed also was they seemed to reduce their stock over the last few years. They also got rid of dvd and cd section. Streaming has hit those products hard I think.

Apart from the books, I always loved browsing the DVD and CD sections way back when. Always guaranteed to spot something different. Streaming killed that market alright. It was also a decent spot to pick up a gift at the last minute on your way wherever. The M&S outlet is for the work to bed to work generation. I know people that buy from it 5 days a week as they haven't the energy to cook when they get home. Thankfully my experiences of Heuston station were nearly all leisure travel. A stroll around Easons, a few pints in the Hooker, then the train.

Stephen15 · 04-04-2019 11:56pm

I wonder would WH Smith be interested in opening one of their bloody awful overpriced shops in Hueston that would almost complete the lineup along with M+S in replicating a typical British railway station. Eason's is bad enough as it is.

XPS_Zero · 05-04-2019 8:22pm

They are not very well run as a company and are a total nightmare to work for, it does not surprise me at all that they could not make an obvious gold mine work.

L1011 · 05-04-2019 10:32pm

XPS_Zero wrote: »

They are not very well run as a company and are a total nightmare to work for, it does not surprise me at all that they could not make an obvious gold mine work.

A proper bookshop in a train station is not an obvious gold mine, they are vanishing across the world.

apieceofcake · 05-04-2019 10:39pm

That’s an awful shame that it has closed. Always enjoyed browsing there. Handy if you needed a present at the last minute too! Is it official that it’s closed.....is there a sign on the door?

airy fairy · 05-04-2019 10:48pm

Are both shops closed, wasn't there one across from the other?

Ardent · 05-04-2019 11:43pm

Why would you need a book, magazine or newspaper when you have the internet?

AMKC · 06-04-2019 12:14am

Ardent wrote: »

Why would you need a book, magazine or newspaper when you have the internet?

Lots of reasons. First of they are physical and you can keep them if you want to with no worry of them disappearing or getting corrupted like a file or download on your computer.

Reason 2 Another reason is its nice to be able to just open the pge of a newspaper, book, magazine etc and just read what is there without having to go looking for it.

Reason 3 Its easier on the eyes and more natural to. There is nothing natural about looking at a screen and too much is hard on the eyes.

Reason 4 Maybe some people work a lot on computers in their office and just want to wind down after a day looking at a computer screen and a book is a gret way to do it.

Del.Monte · 06-04-2019 8:31am

Eason's has been running out of control for decades and one only has to look at what they did on Nassau Street (Fred Hanna's) to see that. The station bookstalls seem to thrive when they are independently operated but only time will tell.

airy fairy · 06-04-2019 8:36am

Ardent wrote: »

Why would you need a book, magazine or newspaper when you have the internet?

That's like something my teen kid would say!
Not everyone has, or likes the internet, or can tolerate screen time for an extended period? Besides the other reasons as stated above.

LuasSimon · 06-04-2019 8:51am

I believe shop lifting was a huge issue in that shop so much so it was unprofitable for a finish . Heuston station unfortunately has deteriorated in the past decade with an influx of local scobes and drug addicts and then you have drug mules - addicts landing on trains to buy and traffick drugs back to wherever they came from . Plus like most places these days not enough guards to police the station .

Ardent · 06-04-2019 9:10am

AMKC wrote: »

Lots of reasons. First of they are physical and you can keep them if you want to with no worry of them disappearing or getting corrupted like a file or download on your computer.

Reason 2 Another reason is its nice to be able to just open the pge of a newspaper, book, magazine etc and just read what is there without having to go looking for it.

Reason 3 Its easier on the eyes and more natural to. There is nothing natural about looking at a screen and too much is hard on the eyes.

Reason 4 Maybe some people work a lot on computers in their office and just want to wind down after a day looking at a computer screen and a book is a gret way to do it.

Agree with all that but my underlying point is that the internet and modern mobile devices are impacting sales of print and traditional media. It's a big problem globally, must be a big factor here also.

sweetie · 06-04-2019 9:41am

Ardent wrote:

Agree with all that but my underlying point is that the internet and modern mobile devices are impacting sales of print and traditional media. It's a big problem globally, must be a big factor here also.

And isn't there free Wi-Fi on the trains now too

Beechwoodspark · 06-04-2019 10:15am

LuasSimon wrote: »

I believe shop lifting was a huge issue in that shop so much so it was unprofitable for a finish . Heuston station unfortunately has deteriorated in the past decade with an influx of local scobes and drug addicts and then you have drug mules - addicts landing on trains to buy and traffick drugs back to wherever they came from . Plus like most places these days not enough guards to police the station .

That’s very sad.

There is always a group of “undesirables” hanging around the front of the station. Can be intimidating at times.

Dyr · 06-04-2019 10:17am

Often bought last minute presents there, Easons seems to be in trouble in general

beauf · 06-04-2019 10:44am

Ardent wrote: »

Agree with all that but my underlying point is that the internet and modern mobile devices are impacting sales of print and traditional media. It's a big problem globally, must be a big factor here also.

My kids prefer books. The book shops they go to and libraries seem to busy enough. It's the choices for adults seem to be decreasing.

Books and magazines for very expensive too. Even before the internet took off.

Anteayer · 06-04-2019 4:16pm

They were gold mines and then along came smartphones, tablets and ultra portable notebooks.

I can't even remember when the last time I've seen someone boarding a train with a pile of newspapers and magazines. Whereas even a decade ago you'd often stock up for an almost 3 hour journey.

Beechwoodspark · 17-06-2019 6:17pm

Seems like a Brambles cafe is going in where easons was

There’s a good number of food outlets in Heuston now

Sbarro pizza opened last week as well.

Havnt tried it. My young 1 wanted a balloon from their opening so we went over. Prices v high by the glance look I took.

L1011 · 18-06-2019 8:11am

Del.Monte wrote: »

Eason's has been running out of control for decades and one only has to look at what they did on Nassau Street (Fred Hanna's) to see that. The station bookstalls seem to thrive when they are independently operated but only time will tell.

Where are these independent ones that seem to thrive?

Emme · 18-06-2019 10:31am

I am a regular commuter and find it difficult to read a book on the train because it is so crowded. Kindle on a small screen works better in confined spaces.

One of the reasons it is difficult to read books on the train is because so many passengers are so em... LARGE. The food outlets in Heuston do not help. I am not perfect myself, I have gone from 8 stone to 10 stone in the 7 years I have been commuting and I try to avoid the food outlets in Heuston apart from the coffee shops.

The food sold at Heuston can make the train a really unpleasant place. One place that shall remain nameless sells food that basically smells like it has been eaten before especially the curry chips. If somebody brings food from that place on the train you can smell it 3 carriages down.

Anyone who doesn't want curry chips can get a lovely healthy bag containing 4 doughnuts.

The M&S at Heuston doesn't have many healthy options which is surprising because high street M&S stores do.

Connolly station had a pharmacy the last time I was there. Why can't one open at Heuston? Not just for prescriptions, but for other things pharmacies sell such as handcream, tissues, wet wipes etc.

At this stage Heuston station reminds me of a bovine feeding lot with the shops selling fodder, the trains serving as pens for the "cattle" and regular stampedes for trains when the platform is finally announced after yet ANOTHER delay :rolleyes:

L1011 · 18-06-2019 11:12am

Connolly has more daily commuters to get repeat prescription traffic and it also has the deal to give discounts to staff to replace the old CIE pharmacy

Emme · 18-06-2019 11:27am

L1011 wrote: »

Connolly has more daily commuters to get repeat prescription traffic and it also has the deal to give discounts to staff to replace the old CIE pharmacy

Have you been in Heuston recently?

L1011 · 18-06-2019 12:10pm

Emme wrote: »

Have you been in Heuston recently?

Yes. Whats the relevance of that?

Connolly is a vastly busier station, about 60% more passengers per day - and the % of those that are commuters rather than more infrequent long distance passengers is even higher.

Heuston has long-distance passengers sitting around waiting; hence it has a bigger bar and lots of food options.

Connolly has shorter-distance commuters who are there ten times a week and hence liable to actually use a pharmacy for stuff that legally needs a pharmacy. Wet wipes and tissues are sold in Easons already!

18-06-2019 12:17pm

When I think of Heuston I think of Supermacs and the Galway Hooker if I'm feeling flush.

Tbf, I don't see much of a market from the intending passengers for buying let's say for example model rail magazines.
More likely the desired magazine will be a puzzle book for granny, or an activity book for the 5 year old who becomes fidgety 5 minutes after the train has departed the platform.

Easons at Heuston Station closed

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