Stone House Books Mac Donagh Junction

mousehouse

Just been in MacDonagh Junction and noticed that Stone House have signs up saying they will cease trading on 30th June. I hope they dont leave it too long before they get a book shop and newsagents in there.

femur61

Hard to compete when Dunnes is opposite and in town Porters have unbelievable bargins in books. Awful shame but hard to compete when so many are buying books from Amazon

Autosport

They were/are more expensive than other book stores in the city.

Firetrap

Yes, that didn't help their case at all. They never seemed to be selling many discounted books. I'd guess nowadays with competition from the likes of Amazon, retailers need to do things like 3 for 2 etc. in order to keep people coming through the doors and buying books.

scatty

it is a pity stonehouse is closing they have a better selection of mags and comics then dunnes ,but their books are expensive . khans bookshop is much cheaper with a great selection and friendly helpful staff .

riffmongous

I always thought they had a poor selection of books, I mean I love going into a bookshops, and I could spend half an hour in the book center or even Dubray no problem, but I was never able to keep myself interested for more than 5 minutes in Stonehouse.

PhilipMarlowe

I'd agree with that. Although I have bought some titles in there because of the convenience, I would always be struggling to find anything to interest me personally.

Firetrap

Definitely agree about that. The Book Centre's one of those shops where you could happily go in, sit down if you want, browse etc. It just feels like a bookshop. The ambiance was wrong in Stonehouse for whatever reason. The shiny floors perhaps? The layout of the shop? It just never felt like a proper bookshop in the way that the Book Centre or Dubray are. I've bought books in both of those but never in Stonehouse.

road_high

Pity to see Stonehouse go as i think it was locally owned as well. Maybe something like Easons will take over as that's a franchise and might be easier run. I think Stonehouse had won an award or two in it's short few years. But like others I never bought a book there. Used buy the odd car mag there but their selection wasn't half the Book Centers or Porters in town.

MarkTheBaby

It's such a pity, they're all really nice in there and the owner works so hard. I did work experience there a couple of years ago though and you'd never see more than two customers in the shop. Not a great spot for business really.

Nightwish

Its always sad to hear of a local business closing. I have bought books from Stonehouse, as recently as 2 weeks ago. They were always very helpful in ordering books for me, which most bookstores wouldnt ordinarily stock. I did notice they never had special offers and they were priced a little higher than Dubray and Book Centre. I found the layout of their store wasnt conducive to browsing either. That end of the Centre is always a bit dead for some reason. The 3 store didnt last too long down there either.

Wisco

I always thought they had a terrible selection too and never spent more than 5 minutes browsing.
Where is this Porter's shop a few posts have mentioned? Thought I knew all of KK's bookshops, but it doesn't sound familiar to me.

femur61

Wisco wrote: »

I always thought they had a terrible selection too and never spent more than 5 minutes browsing.
Where is this Porter's shop a few posts have mentioned? Thought I knew all of KK's bookshops, but it doesn't sound familiar to me.

Porters is a newsagents/sweet shop. Across from the Book Centre beside Paris/Texas pub.

Wisco

Oh yeah, I do know that one. Was hoping I was going to have a new bookshop to browse.... :P

JohnMc1

I was in Stonehouse yesterday getting a notepad. I told the lady there that I was very sorry to hear they were closing. She said Thank You and told me that they might be opening somewhere else. I hope they do. They were a very nice and friendly staff in there.

road_high

JohnMc1 wrote: »

I was in Stonehouse yesterday getting a notepad. I told the lady there that I was very sorry to hear they were closing. She said Thank You and told me that they might be opening somewhere else. I hope they do. They were a very nice and friendly staff in there.

Well that's good anyhow. Rent probably too high up there for what they were doing.

JohnMc1

mfitzy wrote: »

Well that's good anyhow. Rent probably too high up there for what they were doing.

That's 99% the reason alot of stores have been opening and closing since the Junction opened a couple of years ago. It becomes pretty obvious the owners are being very greedy and charging obscene rent when there is such high turn over in such a short amount [the place has been barely open for 3 years] and the few shops that are still there are always having sales [I'm sure nobody missed that window full of text saying SALE! in Champions windows :rolleyes:]

Hopefully Stonehouse and the staff find somewhere else that more reasonably priced soon.

road_high

Yes. a lot of the units have changed tenants alright for one reason or another. The Market Cross is the same though apart from the main tenants.

trekkypj

JohnMc1 wrote: »

I was in Stonehouse yesterday getting a notepad. I told the lady there that I was very sorry to hear they were closing. She said Thank You and told me that they might be opening somewhere else. I hope they do. They were a very nice and friendly staff in there.

I certainly hope so as well.

There's plenty of retail space in different parts of the city. They should be able to get a reasonable rent deal in place.

I do think that it's a real shame so many places closed in McDonagh Junction. I know they have to service the cost of building the place, but perhaps it's unreasonable to expect super high rents in this climate?

If the rents are too high, they have to lower them or lose their occupancy. It's better to get some rent for a unit than no rent at all.

Firetrap

They probably weren't helped either by there being two better bookshops (Book Centre & Dubray) in Kilkenny, not to mention Khan's bookshop. There are only so many bookshops any town can sustain.

fabbydabby

Not to mention the internet, when you can source books from vendors who don't have to incorporate Kilkenny Country Council rates into their selling price.

PhilipMarlowe

fabbydabby wrote: »

Kilkenny Country Council

hmmmm... This is a public forum. Keep any mentions of secession to the super sekrit forum.