I am not sure if it was just chance which led to this magazine landing between the glass door and the shutter of the latest
Dundalk shop to fall victim of the Recession or if it was placed there by a member of staff before the key was turned for the
last time.
A receiver has been appointed to the Irish bookseller Hughes & Hughes which had a chain of bookshops around the country, including one in Dundalk. There was great excitement when the shop opened about four years ago. Finally we were going to get a proper bookshop, a bookshop where the staff knew about books, where it wasn't just the best-sellers and chick-lit stacked on the shelves but literary fiction, biography and reference. There was a dedicated kids' section with a fish tank and a coffee shop where customers were encouraged to browse through books before purchasing. They had book signings and readings, and sponsored competitions for local schools. The company blamed high rents, internet sales and the exchange rates as factors which had contributed to its demise.
Now, sadly, the shop is one of many lying vacant along the main street.