Bookstation's Johnston wins O’Brien Press Bookseller of the Year Award

Bookstation marketing director Alan Johnston has won The O’Brien Press Bookseller of the Year Award. 

The announcement was made by The O’Brien Press on 16th June. Johnston is the 28th recipient of the award which is presented annually in recognition of outstanding achievement or an invaluable contribution to the trade by an individual bookseller. 

Winners are presented with “The Elements”, a bronze perpetual trophy sculpted by one of Ireland’s leading sculptors, Rowan Gillespie, and a framed commemorative certificate.

Johnston started working for Eason & Son in 1991, becoming book manager in Newtownards, Bangor, Lisburn and the flagship store in Castlecourt Belfast. In 2000 he became a marketeer, taking up the position of book marketing manager in Eason’s Dublin head office with responsibility for both retail and wholesale marketing strategies. 

He was appointed group marketing manager in 2011, and was later promoted to book business development manager in 2017, responsible for a renewed brand focus on the book category in Eason and the delivery of a new front-of-store offering. He joined Bookstation in 2021.

Johnston said: “Thank you, I am delighted to have received The O’Brien Press Bookseller of the Year Award, and I would especially like to dedicate it to the fantastic Bookstation team who made it possible.”

Brenda Boyne, sales manager at The O’Brien Press, said: “It was a pleasure to present The O’Brien Press Bookseller of the Year Award to Alan Johnston at Bookstation. Alan was nominated by his peers in the trade, for his enthusiasm and his genuine love of books. He is a deserving winner of this year’s award.”