53°20′32″N6°15′29″W / 53.34224°N 6.25815°W /53.34224; -6.25815
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| Industry | Bookshop |
|---|---|
| Founded | 10 Skinner's Row (now Christchurch Place), Dublin, 1768; 257 years ago (1768) |
| Founder | John Milliken |
| Headquarters | Dublin, Ireland |
Number of locations | 1 shop[1] |
Area served | Ireland |
| Products | Books |
| Parent | Waterstones Booksellers Ireland Ltd[2] |
| Website | www |
Hodges Figgis is a long-operating bookshop in centralDublin, Ireland. Founded in 1768,[3] it is probably the third-oldest functioning bookshop in the world,[3] after theLivraria Bertrand ofLisbon (1732) andPennsylvania'sMoravian Book Shop (1745). It was moved and expanded numerous times, and arrived at 56 Dawson Street in 1979, and gradually expanded to take its current form of four floors at 56-58 Dawson Street in 1992.[3] It is mentioned inJames Joyce'smodernist novelUlysses, at the time of which it would have been situated at 104Grafton Street,[4][3] and the novelConversations with Friends bySally Rooney, and in other writings.[3]
Since 2011, Hodges Figgis has been owned and operated byWaterstones, which in turn is owned by US investment management firmElliott Investment Management and A&NN Capital Fund Management (an investment fund owned by Russian billionaireAlexander Mamut).[5][6][3][7]
The bookshop was opened in 1768 at 10Skinner's Row, nearChrist Church Cathedral, by a John Milliken, son of a local property owner. Milliken moved it to 32Grafton Street in 1797.[3]
In 1819, the Milliken family moved the shop to 104 Grafton Street, where it operated for over a century. The shop's records note that in 1822, proprietor Richard Milliken stood with his 22 daughters on the shop's balcony for a royal visit byGeorge IV. Following financial problems, the shop, run by Andrew Milliken since 1834, was taken over by Hodges and Smith, booksellers ofCollege Green since the 1760s. Hodges and Smith also published books, notably including works of Irish interest. The business published for more than a hundred years thereafter.[3][8]
After the death of George Smith, a new operating partnership saw it become Hodges, Foster & Company. A further new partnership with an employee, Samuel Figgis, led to it becoming Hodges, Figgis & Company.
Hodges, Figgis & Company Limited was registered as a company in 1892, when Samuel Figgis was sole proprietor following a retirement. A son of Samuel Figgis, William Fernsley Figgis, led the next generation of the shop, alongside Samuel's successor as managing director, Thomas Brown.[3]
The impact of building works and wartime absence led to a financial restructuring in 1920, which saw the business surrender its premises and move to 20Nassau Street. In 1945, it moved again, to 6Dawson Street. Allen Figgis assumed control as owner and managing director in 1956, and expanded the shop into neighbouring premises at 7 Dawson Street. A paperback-specialised branch was opened in Suffolk Street, and publishing operations grew, with a notable release in 1968 of anEncyclopedia of Ireland. The shop also hosted major book launches, including that of a special edition of theTáin Bó Cúailnge withillustrations byLouis le Brocquy.[3] A bicentennial event was held in 1968, marked by the release of a 1,700-volume Celtic Studies catalogue at a reception attended by Archbishop and scholarGeorge Simms, and Allen and Francis, and Neville, Figgis.[9]
In 1974, the shop was moved to St Stephen's Green. A warehouse was established in Donnybrook, and branches were opened in Donnybrook and Dún Laoghaire in the Dublin hinterland, and in Kilkenny and Cork. University bookshops were also added, at theUniversity College Dublin (UCD) Belfield campus, and atUniversity College Cork (UCC) andUniversity College Galway (UCG).[3] By 1977, the business had achieved a turnover of IR£800,000, and a net profit of £30,000.[10]
In 1978, Allen Figgis sold the chain, then comprising the main shop at St Stephen's Green, and branches at Donnybrook, Dún Laoghaire and UCD, to Pentos, who owned the UKDillons the Bookstore chain, for £132,000.[10] Hodges Figgis took over the lease of 56 Dawson Street, the former Browne and Nolan bookshop, in 1979, for university, library supplies and Celtic studies sales, and eventually schoolbooks also.[11] The UCD branch was closed, and Kilkenny and Cork outlets purchased.[11] By 1981, all operations had moved to Dawson Street.[3]
Having moved to 57-58 Dawson Street, in 1992, the company re-acquired the lease on the 56 Dawson Street location. In 1995, Pentos went into receivership and its businesses, Dillons, including Hodges Figgis, and office stationery and furniture operations, were put up for sale. It was indicated that its Dawson Street andDublin City University branches might be available to buy separately.[12] In the end, the bookselling business was sold toThorn EMI, and in 1995, the Dawson Street shop closed for four hours to allow for the legal transfer of ownership, the only official disruption to trade in over 200 years.[3]
In 1996, Thorn EMI was demerged into separate entities (Thorn Electrical Industries andEMI).[13] Hodges Figgis and Waterstones were retained by EMI. In February 1998, EMI entered into a joint venture withAdvent International to form HMV Media Group. The newly-formed entity acquired Hodges Figgis, theWaterstones chain of bookshops and the HMV chain of music shops.[14][15] Hodges Figgis & Company Limited was dissolved in July 1999 and the business was merged into the Waterstones chain.[16]
The Dawson Street shop briefly housed a coffee shop on the first floor, but this was removed during renovations in 2002, to expand the space available for book display and sale.[17]
In June 2011, HMV Group sold Waterstones (including Hodges Figgis) to A&NN Capital Fund Management (an investment fund owned by Russian BillionaireAlexander Mamut) for GB£53 million.[3][18] In June 2018, US hedge fundElliott Investment Management acquired a majority holding in Waterstones, with Mamut's company retaining a minority stake.[19][20][21][22][3][7][23]
In 2018, Hodges Figgis celebrated its 250th anniversary with the publication of an anthology of modern Irish writing with 250 contributors.[7]
Hodges Figgis continues to operate as part of the Waterstones group, although it operates its own loyalty stamp scheme instead of the Waterstones Plus card. In line with Waterstones operating strategy, it has considerable autonomy in buying and presentation.[7] It was the second-highest performing shop in the chain in 2015 and 2018,[24][25] only outstripped by the flagship Waterstones shop inPiccadilly, London.[3] As of 2018, the shop typically stocked about a million volumes, with about 70,000 titles, more than five times the range of a typical high street bookshop,[3] over three storeys and a basement. The shop specialises in Irish interest titles, and has a large academic section.[17][7][3]
Hodges Figgis also operates the part-time student bookshop inDublin City University.[26] Waterstones operates 11 other shops inIreland (in Ballymena, Belfast, Coleraine, Cork, Craigavon, Derry, Drogheda, Enniskillen, Lisburn and Newry), having closed its other Dublin shops (including one directly opposite Hodges Figgis) in 2011.[27][28]
Hodges Figgis has a long-running mail order business,[3] as well as an account sales (library and corporate) department.[17]
Hodges Figgis has been mentioned inThe New York Times andThe Wall Street Journal, as well as in popular works of fiction such asJames Joyce'sUlysses,Sally Rooney'sConversations with Friends andJohn Boyne'sThe Heart's Invisible Furies, and in a poem byPaul Durcan.[29][3][30]
A volume of new writing by contemporary Irish writers, with an appendix on the shop's history, was published to commemorate Hodges Figgis's 250th anniversary in 2018,[7] with the proceeds going to charitable literacy works. It featured a wide variety of forms, by 250 authors, playwrights and poets,[7] over more than 700 pages, and cover artwork byPauline Bewick; all contributors, and the editor, gave their efforts at no charge.[3]
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: 9:00am-17:00pm [sic] / Monday and Friday: Closed