Seven months after the much-celebrated reopening of Chapters, Ria Walls spoke to co-owner Mick Finucane about what it’s been like since, and what’s in store for the future
Dubliners were left disappointed earlier this year when the popular bookstore Chapters announced that they would be closing their doors. After almost forty years of serving the reading community in the heart of the city, loyal customers couldn’t bear to imagine the empty shelves as the owners opted for retirement.
Much to the delight of many, only a few months later two friendly faces emerged as the store reopened;co-founders and former directors of GameStop Ireland Kevin Neary and Mick Finucane took over Chapters, allowing those who love the store so well to continue enjoying all of the familiar features, as well as introducing new and exciting elements. Finucane sat down with Misc. to talk about the reopening of the store, as well as exciting things to come in the near future.
When the former owners wanted to retire after four decades in the business, Finucane and Neary couldn’t bear to see the end of Chapters. With GameStop starting in the back of Chapters’ old premises on Abbey Street in 1994, the connection between the two businesses was a personal one. Speaking of the foundations of the chain, Finucane said: “We’ve had a long relationship with Chapters.” The duo admired the work done before them, as a community was built amongst the book lovers of the city. They were able to see first hand the effect that the bookstore had on its customers throughout the years, with Finucane stating that himself and Neary felt very strongly about the store.
As with any successful business, the customers play a large role. There was initial disappointment at the announcement of the closure at the beginning of this year, with Dubliners of all ages taking to social media to express their sorrow. Tweets were rampant at the time, with book-lovers professing the deep-rooted sadness at the loss of their “favourite bookshop”. Many described the irreplaceable feeling of browsing in an authentic book store, reflecting as they prepared to part with Chapters. Before customers knew that they wouldn’t have to part with the store, they described the closure as “a huge loss to Dublin city”. When speaking of Chapters, TD Gary Gannon recalled the store as being “just a really lovely place to lose yourself for a while in the city.”
The decision to reopen wasn’t a straightforward task, but it was one that was and is fully worthwhile. “People said we were mad. I think we both said we were mad at one point”, Finucane laughs as he reflects on the decision to reopen. Regardless of this, the pair were delighted to take over the enduring business. “We’re very happy to have reopened,” Finucane said with pride, “I think it’s a really important part of Dublin City Centre.”
When Finucane and Neary announced the recommencement of the shop, the public cheered. The pair thanked the local, loyal customers that have been browsing the shelves the past forty years as well as the new ones yet to come, with Finucane saying, “I have to say, the public has been amazing. The support that they’ve come out and shown Chapters is phenomenal.”
Chapters is well known for the wide and affordable selection of second-hand books they’ve provided over the years. Finucane was happy to confirm that this section won’t be going anywhere, but instead will be expanding. Speaking of the upcoming plans, he said, “One of the big changes is that Chapters went online for the first time in forty years. The next phase of that development will be our second hand selection.” He revealed that himself and Neary have been working hard to provide customers with an online selection of second hand books, allowing customers to avail of a cheaper option without having to go in store. He continued, “Over the next month or so, you’ll start seeing the second hand books appearing online as well and we think that’s a huge differentiator for us.”
In a digital age where we tend to favour online shopping, it can be pondered as to whether or not stores are a necessity. This question can be further expanded when we consider the growing market of eBooks and audio books. Will we reach a stage where the printed book is no more? Personally, I think that the art of literature will never die out, no matter how hard technology may try to combat it. Many will agree that the satisfaction of reading a book cover to cover is hard to beat. If you’re like me and tend to annotate every novel that falls into your path, you will know that an electronic book in any format cannot compare. Finucane agrees as he details the statistics, saying, “The sale of printed books is actually on the increase.”
Last year in Ireland there was a 3% increase when it came to people buying physical copies of books.
Finucane continued, saying, “People seem to be moving a little bit away from the screen and back to the book.” He pointed out that reading is a fantastic past-time, and where is there a better place to discover the joy of the written word than in Dublin? We can consider the recent surge of the popular Sally Rooney novels that captivated those of all ages, perfectly telling the all-too-familiar stories of love, relationships and college life. We walk the very streets that James Joyce, Oscar Wilde and W.B. Yeats dandered before us. The Irish have contributed significantly to the literature spheres not just on this island, but globally. To indulge in the colourful life of the written word is a privilege denied to many, and one that we should make the most of.
“It’s exciting times ahead”, said Finucane, “and we look forward to a busy Christmas in Chapters!”
