Alan Johnston, Bookstation, wins The O’Brien Press Bookseller of the Year Award 2022
Alan Johnston, Marketing Director of Bookstation, has been named this year’s winner of The O’Brien Press Bookseller of the Year Award. The announcement was made by The O’Brien Press on Thursday 16th June 2022.
Alan is the 28th recipient of The O’Brien Press Bookseller of the Year Award which is presented annually in recognition of outstanding achievement or an invaluable contribution to the book 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.
Alan Johnston
Alan 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 followed his passion to become a marketeer, taking up the position of Book Marketing Manager in the Eason Head Office in Dublin with responsibility for both Retail and Wholesale marketing strategies.
Alan was appointed Group Marketing Manager in 2011, and 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.
Since 2021, Alan has relished a fresh challenge by joining the fast growing and dynamic Bookstation team as Head of Book Marketing.
Brenda Boyne
Speaking about the Award, Brenda Boyne, Sales Manager, 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.”
Speaking about his win, Alan 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.”
Award
The citation on this year’s O’Brien Press Bookseller of the Year Award reads: ‘With a voracious curiosity, genuine love of books and uncanny eye for a bestseller, he [Alan Johnston] always puts the book at the heart of whatever he is doing. Constantly driving change, whether on the shop floor or in head office roles, he backs up instinct with huge knowledge and courage. He is both an inspiring and enthusiastic colleague and a genuinely collaborative partner to so many in the book world.’
