Bob Johnston wins The O’Brien Press Bookseller of the Year Award

Press Release

Bob Johnston, Gutter Bookshop

Bob Johnston, owner of The Gutter Bookshop, was announced as this year’s winner of The O’Brien Press Bookseller of the Year Award at the annual Booksellers Association conference and dinner dance at the Gibson Hotel on Saturday March 5th.

Ivan O’Brien MD of The O’Brien Press said: ‘Bob set up The Gutter Bookshop in the height of the recession, and it’s now firmly established as a core part of Dublin’s book world. His commitment to bookselling is immense, and through his social media presence and regular appearances on TV and radio he has become one of the leading voices for books in Ireland. He also hosts vast numbers of launches and seems to sell books at just about every festival. To top all that, he’s on the committees of the BA, Irish Book Awards and others – quite amazing. His energy, enthusiasm and constant innovation are a lesson to us all. Congratulations Bob, it’s richly deserved’.

Bob has spent over 25 years working in the book trade. Before opening The Gutter Bookshop, in Temple Bar in 2009, he worked for Waterstones in London and Dublin and as a buyer for Hughes and Hughes in Stephen’s Green. In 2013, Bob opened his second branch of The Gutter in Dalkey.

Speaking about his win, Bob said: ‘I was delighted to be awarded ‘Bookseller of the Year’. Thank you to The O’Brien Press for supporting this award and thank you to the publishers and other booksellers who nominated me. And a huge thank you to all our customers and supporters who allow me to make a living doing what I love – by coming and buying books from us!’

For more information please contact geraldine@obrien.ie