Eason’s new store at historic Cork city building to open in September

BOOKSELLER and stationers Eason will open its new 5,000 square foot store at 35-36 Patrick’s Street in September, on the ground floor of the former Victoria Hotel, following the recent closure of Eason’s existing store at 113-115 Patrick’s Street.

Eason had occupied 113-115 Patrick’s Street since 1986, having purchased the site from the ESB.

The new store will be located on the ground floor of what was originally the Victoria Hotel, and the historic site has been meticulously renovated since building work commenced there in December of last year.

In its day, the former Victoria Hotel, which has been located at the junction of Patrick’s Street and Cook Street since 1810, had hosted the likes of Charles Stuart Parnell, Michael Collins, James Joyce and Winston Churchill.

The second ever meeting of the newly founded Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) took place there on December 27, 1884.

One of the few buildings on Patrick’s Street to survive the Burning of Cork in December 1920, when rampaging British troops torched much of the city centre.

The Victoria Hotel is fondly remembered by hotelier Francis Brennan, who trained there as a young man.

In 2003 the hotel’s ground floor was converted to retail units, and the hotel continued to function upstairs until it closed its doors in 2011.

Liam Hanly, Managing Director, Eason Group, said the company was delighted to be opening its new, fit-for-purpose store in the coming weeks.

“Our Patrick’s Street relocation reconfirms our commitment to our customers and employees in Cork, and we are confident it will help grow retail footfall and rejuvenate this part of the city centre,” Mr Hanly said.

The new store maintains Eason’s retail footprint in Cork, where it has stores in Douglas, Mallow, Mahon Point, Wilton and Ballincollig.

In addition to those stores, Eason opened Cork’s first Dubray store on Patrick Street in October of last year.

Eason’s new store will be close to Dubray, as well as its rival Waterstones, along with book and magazine retailer Porter at 42 Patrick’s Street.

The closure of the Eason’s previous Patrick Street store followed an agreement with Sports Direct International (SDI) to acquire the store property.

Eason sold that 22,000 sq ft property two years ago to SDI owner Mike Ashley for a reported €6.5 million.