Eason

I love Eason as it stocks a range of visual art magazines not available anywhere else, except by mail order. Juxtapoz, Irish Arts, International Artist, Artist & Illustrator Magazine, The Art Newspaper and Artforum amongst others. Additionally there’s an array of craft, design, tattoo and photography specialist journals. In fact, whatever you’re interested in you’ll find a magazine, newspaper or journal on the subject in Eason. Of course there’s also a range of stationary items — for which Eason is best known. However, more importantly, they are suppliers of art materials; canvases, paper, sketchbooks, acrylics, oils, inks, pastels, watercolours, easels, brushes, palettes, charcoal and pencils — ranging from student to professional grade. It’s a large store over two levels which boasts a large book section covering every genre imaginable, including fiction. A decent Costa café occupies downstairs. Newsagents, art suppliers, confectioners, book retailers, café, stationary suppliers — how can anyone not love Eason — they’ve got it all! I can spend hours (and a small fortune) in this store — it’s brilliant.

There are not many Eason’s stores around these days but this one seems to be thriving, set in a central location they’ve given the interior a real facelift — it’s bright and vibrant and seems to be doing the trick when it comes to drawing the Belfast punters in. Eason’s are specialist’s in stationery and magazines, especially niche ones. I popped in here last week to grab a birthday card and to be honest I was a little disappointed with their selection but I suppose there’s dedicated card shops for that sort of thing.
One thing I noticed is that Eason’s seems to have moved with the times, selling electronic goods and essential office supplies such as printer cartridges.
On the lower floor there’s a huge book selection that would rival Waterstones. Belfast actually doesn’t have that many big book shops so if you still haven’t succumb to a Kindle this will be your idea of heaven.
This Eason is really well staffed so if you’re looking for something in particular I would just ask one of the many attentive assistants (who are also pretty quick on the checkouts). All in all it’s nice to see a familiar name in the city centre, I’m sure at some point the majority of Northern Ireland picked up their school stationery and chose that all important pencil case from an Eason’s branch.

This family retailer was in danger of closing down a few years ago when the WH Smith big boys moved into town, but they held tight and now occupy this massive space previously occupied by the aforementioned Smiths and they have done it well.
They have a brilliant magazine section and while not a specialist art store (go to Bradbury Graphics or Craftworld for that) they have a pretty good selection.
Also downstairs they have an extensive book section, and while it doesn’t have the warmth of Waterstones it does have decent breadth and knowledgeable staff, and if they don’t have something they can order it in for you.
Oh, and don’t fret if there is a queue, there usually is, but it moves fast.

Eason’s is alright, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you fancy a leisurely browse through a bookshop.
Eason’s, much like the store on O’Connell street Dublin, stocks magazines and some books on the ground floor. I was in here recently looking for a magazine and the staff went out of their way to find it for me. I felt quite guilty sending the young fella off to the stockroom when I actually found the magazine hidden away on the stand, but he didn’t seem bothered.
On the first floor they sell stationary. As I studied nearby for the last academic year, I was always popping in and out of here stocking up on notebooks, pencils, files, paper and must have depleted their supply of poly-​pockets ten times over.
The store offers good value and quality stationary. Middle of the road.

Stationery does not excite me on any level whatsoever. My girlfriend has an obsessive penchant for all things pen, folder and file related and I cannot get my head round it. For me, a pen or a pencil is s tool and if it does the job with reasonable efficiency then that is its purpose served.
As a journo this is where I go to buy the multitude of notebooks and disposable pencils (nothing writes faster). It’s my one stop shop for files, paper, pens, pencils, art supplies and recently some photo paper and frames.
It has two floors, the downstairs deals with books, magazines and a recently installed Ticketmaster booth. Upstairs is stationery nirvana.
Prices are fairly reasonable, especially when compared with UK high-​street giant WH Smith. The range is fantastic and you are likely to find whatever you require.
Certainly recommended for the various types of stationery you may need in your student or professional life.

Easons claims to be a bookstore, but it is not a bookstore in the traditional sense of the word. It is a corporate store than sells art supplies, stationary, newspapers, chocolate, fizzy drinks etc.
I am a fan of old rickety bookshops which you have to bump into people to get past. This is not one of them.
Though they do have cheaper priced books than old bookshops, they can still be gotten on the internet so again if all you need is a book, try the internet. If you want the experience, go to an oldfashioned book shop.
Not a fan

Easons is one of Ireland’s oldest bookshops. It’s the store you go to when Waterstones doesn’t have what you’re looking for. It doesn’t have Waterstones warmth and it’s not the type of bookstore where you could sit and look through the books for hours but there is something very native about it that inspires a loyalty to it among Belfast people. Maybe it’s the green carpet.
One advantage it does have over Waterstones is the sheer number of booksignings it has every year with famous, well-​known authors visiting regularly. It seems to be particularly popular with Irish author Cecillia Ahern who has a huge cult following in the North and recently played host to WWE wrestling superstar John Cena who was down signing copies of his new book. So for sheer star appeal, it gets 4 stars.

I love this store, def go here if there is a new book out that your after as they are far cheaper than waterstones or wh smith and often get irish titles in way before the other stores. they also do great stationary and fab art supplies.

I love stationary and books so this is one of my favourite shops. They have a fantastic magazine selection downstairs along with all the best sellers and many more books on the ground floor. Upstairs they have stationary for school or the office and an art department — which is a lot cheaper than some specialist shops. They also have cards for every occasion and the usual wrapping paper etc. The staff are very helpful and knowledgeable and i think you can order in stuff if they are out of stock.