The book is mightier than the DVD, Eason shows

WHAT a difference a few years make. After a torrid loss-making period, bookshop chain Eason successfully managed to restructure itself and is now trading profitably.

Fears of the demise of the book have been so far unwarranted. Word in the market is that growth in e-readers has plateaued and that there’s plenty of life in the printed page yet. That’s good news for Eason — a strong brand that customers like. Now it’s facing toward the future with a strategy known as Eason 2020.

But there was a time when it could have ended up in different ownership. I recently heard that distressed-asset investor Hilco had mulled a potential move for the business some years ago but nothing concrete ever materialised.

Hilco did buy Xtra-vision, which was ultimately closed. It also owns HMV, whose Republic of Ireland stores have been shuttered. The book is mightier than the DVD it seems.

A NEW opening on O’Connell Street marked the end of an era last week. Last month the Kylemore Cafe closed its doors after 30 years on the north side thoroughfare to be replaced with a hipper alternative, Soma.

But it’s not as fundamental a change as might first appear — Soma is part of the KSG family, which stands for Kylemore Services Group. The company was founded in 1920 as a dairy but moved into baking and confectionery, sparked by the success of selling cakes to fans hitting the streets of Dublin for the All-Ireland final one Sunday. The Kylemore Bakery took off, with the Kylemore cafe on O’Connell Street opening in 1987, followed by 14 more restaurants.

The bakery business closed in 2002 but the company, whose shareholders now include DCC, has since prospered as a catering-services specialist. Most recent profits topped €1m. Fans of the Kylemore fry-up need not fret. Soma’s menu includes a full Irish breakfast — but in a sign of the times it also serves up granola and Portobello mushroom toast.