INDEPENDENT RETAILERS form the backbone of Irish life – in both rural and urban communities. They are, first and foremost, enthusiasts and fans. They welcome you in, share their passions and their favourite finds with you – and they keep you there, asking how your mother is doing after her fall, whether your sister is coming back from America any time soon, and telling you about how Mary-down-the-road interrupted a burglar trying to make off with her new laptop.
These shops champion local craftspeople, food producers, artists and services and offer more than just a point of sale: they help you to the car with your briquettes and always put your favourite magazine aside (they know you’ll be in for it eventually).
Theirs is a David-vs-Goliath struggle against huge chains with more resources and more cost-effective buying platforms, yet these shops lure us in, time and again. What every customer get is enthusiasm and expertise, a desire to share knowledge and an understanding that you, the customer, is also knowledgeable. Browsers are as welcome as buyers.
Time spent in these shops is time well spent. You walk away feeling enriched by the conversation, the goods you saw and maybe bought. And you also know that you can ring them afterwards and get great after-sales service.
Our streets and communities need these individuals to keep doing what they do. That is why The Irish Times asked you to share your favourites. The nominations – via Facebook, letter and email – have run to thousands. Whittling these down to a shortlist of 50 was no mean feat.
Thank you for taking the time to let us know what you love about your local shops and, more importantly, for supporting your local businesses.
On August 25th, we’ll share our 12 favourites; for now, this is your top 50.
The shortlist
Boutiques
Tosca (designer swap shop), Newbridge, Co Kildare
Susan Hunter Lingerie, Westbury Shopping Mall, Dublin 2
Put A Bow On It, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford
Pebbles, Schull, Co Cork
Oh! by Gum, Clifden, Co Galway
Muse Boutique, The Quay, Waterford
Eden Boutique, Clanbrassil St, Dundalk, Co Louth
Juniper Boutique, Parnell Street, Ennis, Co Clare
Artisan food Greengrocers
Fallon Byrne, Exchequer St, Dublin 2
Eco-Logic, Dundrum Road, Dublin 14
Glasraí Goodies, Gowran, Co Kilkenny
Nick’s Fish, Ashbourne, Co Wicklow, and Newbridge, Co Kildare
The Farm Shop, Tinahely, Co Wicklow
George’s Fish Shop, Monkstown Farm, Co Dublin
Lilliput Stores, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7
Mrs Mooney’s Sweetshop, Greystones, Co Wicklow
JC Stewart, Magherafelt, Co Derry
Cafe Tea Rooms
Enjoy . . . from White Gables, Moycullen Village, Co Galway
Treat Deli and Gift Shop, Cabra, Dublin 7
Quin Tea Rooms, Main Street, Quin, Co Clare
Bake my Day, Drimnagh Road, Dublin 12
Hart’s Coffee Shop, Clonakilty, Co Cork
The Bake House, Bachelor’s Walk, Dublin 1
Hickey’s Bakery, Clonmel, Co Tipperary
Galleries Design
Etain Hickey Collections, Clonakilty, West Cork
Stone Mad Gallery, Kinsale, Co Cork
Ardmore Pottery and Craft Shop, Ardmore, Co Waterford
Cork Flower Studio, Douglas Street, Co Cork
Designist, Georges St, Dublin 2
Hardware
Burke’s General Store, Gort, Co Galway
Anvil, Bray, Co Wicklow
Churchstown Stores, Braemor Rd, Dublin 14
Thornhill Hardware, Skibbereen, Co Cork
Jewellers
O’Reilly and Turpin, Westport, Co Mayo
Barry Doyle Design Jewellers, Georges Street, Dublin
Cosmetics
Alchemist Earth, Sarsfield Street, Limerick
Green Angel Trading, Rosbercon, Co Wexford
Bookshops
The Gutter Bookshop, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
O’ Mahoney’s Bookshop, O’Connell Street, Limerick
Athletics Outdoors
The Amphibian King, Bray, Co Wicklow
Base2race, Ballymount, Dublin 24
Wild Side Sports, Bandon, Co Cork
Hobby Craft
BDI Beads, Bray, Co Wicklow
The Constant Knitter, Francis Street, Dublin 8
Music
Soundz of Muzic, Kenmare, Co Kerry
Rollcoaster Records, Kieran Street, Kilkenny
Gift Shops
Guinness Gallery, Foxrock, Dublin
Forget Me Not Gifts, Clonmel, Co Tipperary
The Butterslip, Rose Inn St, Kilkenny
Moss Cottage, Dundrum, Dublin
