Eason announces €7m revamp over next three years

The bookseller Eason is to invest about €7 million on store revamps and digital initiatives over the next three years, staff and shareholders have been told.

About €2 million will be spent over each of the next three years upgrading many of Eason’s 36 company-owned stores. The total network numbers about 65 stores, including franchised stores.

A further €1 million is being set aside to invest in “omnichannel” initiatives, which include projects that integrate its physical stores and its website and digital offering, such as click and collect.

The company has also initiated a review of its supply chain that may lead to outsourcing of some or all of the activities of its warehouse near Dublin Airport, which employs 55 staff.

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Under review

A final recommendation will be presented to the board next month, following which a decision will be taken on its future. Eason has already decided to seek about 10 redundancies from the 55 staff currently employed at the facility.

The books and stationery warehouse facility in St Margaret’s was opened a decade ago by Eason, after it sold sites in Crumlin and Santry and consolidated their operations on the new site.

Book volumes

This has left the facility significantly under-utilised, prompting management, led by chief executive Conor Whelan, to examine options for the site.

If the warehouse’s activities are partially or fully outsourced, alternatives could include bringing in a third-party operator or outsourcing some logistics to book publishers.